How Rory Spent Her Spring Break
by JuJuShel
Summary: TRORY! Sequel to How Rory Spent Her Christmas Break, Rory helps Tristan with an extra credit project that involves spending A LOT of time together. What will happen? [Completed!]
1. A Proposition and the Worst Daycare Ever

Hello again. Sorry it took me so long to get this up. I was having trouble with the writing process. Plus, I realized that I do have homework over the break. Well not homework, per say, just that stuff, that if you don't do it, you'll have to do it later, but there's so much of it, that if you do it later, it won't get done. (Does that make sense to anyone else but me?)  
  
FYI: This is the sequel to "How Rory Spent Her Christmas Break."  
  
Let's see…anything else to say. Oh yeah, I still own nothing, and I still enjoy reading reviews. (Hint! Hint!) : )  
  
  
  
~  
  
One more class. Rory wasn't sure she could make it. It was Friday. It was the last day before spring break. Her mental state was one of instant gratification: She wanted spring break now! She'd worked hard she deserved the break. This was obvious. And eventually the said break would come, but she wanted it now! Thus, explaining the instant gratification. Frankly another 50 minutes, or even another 1 minute, was just too long. Who could blame her? Everyone was anticipating the break. They all had that same itchy feeling, which for the most part is beyond description. But as a future writer, Rory mentally accepted the challenge and thought out the definition of "itchy." This is not a physical itchy, it's an itchy in the sense of "I can not hold still and may never be totally still again." It's similar to being one cup over your limit of coffee. Itchy is where your knee bounces as you stare at the clock, and then have to mentally think to stop your knee, then unconsciously have some other part of your body begin to move. Rory's fingers would usually start to swing against her desk. There was a problem with the pencil swing though; it could be irritating to other people. So, she would mentally stop that. And her knee would begin again. Viscous cycle. Rory was within an inch of screaming, it was that or possibly running from the building. Or, worse yet, running from the building while screaming. That was so not the dark mark she needed on her official "Student personality evaluation" that the other students probably made of her. No, actually the running screaming thing could actually be the high point of such a factious evaluation. It would be on Paris's.  
  
Rory got a mental image of Paris writing in a black journal on a page with the heading "Rory" under it would be all the things Rory had ever done to poor Paris, followed by sad face after sad face, then at the bottom would be "Runs out of school screaming" followed by a smiley face. Knowing Paris it would somehow be color coded too. "Why just be organized when you can color code to?"  
  
Ugh. You see this! Do you see how easily distracted Rory is right now? What was she even trying to talk about? She so needed spring break right now. Instant gratification. There's another viscous circle in her life.  
  
Rory sighed. Her second to last class was over. There had been a test. The hell test. Seriously that's what everyone called it. Mainly because it was on Dante's Inferno, but also, because it was Hell. (I.E. very hard) So hard, it had used up all her brain cells, leaving her with the itchy feeling and the need to be on spring break so she could start to forget the hell-ness of the test.  
  
Rory headed toward her locker. Trying to stop her mind from calculating the exact number of minutes and seconds until it actually would be time to leave. Of course, she could always go for the running and screaming option. Tempting, but no. Rory wouldn't want to give Paris the satisfaction of writing in her black book.  
  
Rory began to consider her surroundings; Tristan was leaning by her locker, waiting for her. She sighed again. Not because of Tristan, but because it seemed to be the only way to get oxygen to her brain right now. "Help me! I need break! I need it now! I'm going insane! I can feel the saneness leaving my body. I haven't been truly relaxed since Christmas!" Tristan smiled at her comments. While going through the process of opening her locker, Rory imagined Tristan's smile having most to do with her mention of Christmas. She had spent the best parts of break with Tristan. Of course it could be her heart, which did a crazy tickling flutter on occasions when she was near Tristan, only hoping that Tristan was happy about Christmas break memories. In all actuality he could be thinking, "Rory is insane. Just smile at the crazy person then begin to back away." She had no idea what was going on inside his head. And considering some of the ideas Tristan expressed, especially before military school had conditioned him not to express them, this was, decidedly, a good thing, because Rory couldn't help but expect Tristan to still think many evil, guy- like thoughts.  
  
Even though Tristan had hated the military school, enough to want to come back to Chilton, Rory had noticed some positive changes. His obnoxious flirting had ceased, as had his dating every pretty girl in sight. Actually, as far as Rory knew, he hadn't dated anyone since his return. Which was fine with her. She'd imagine the pain of seeing someone you like dating someone else would be worse than being a friend to the single person you liked. She couldn't help but imagine the former was how Paris became Paris.  
  
Really, Rory and Paris were getting along well. Its just Paris had been done with the Hell Test too quickly for Rory's liking. She'd had even been smiling after taking it. Good for Paris, but discomfort causing for Rory.  
  
Rory came back to reality. "So, have you taken the dreaded Hell Test already?" Tristan, who had still been smiling, grimaced, as though he had just tasted something very, very bad. Rory assumed that meant, "Yes, I have taken it." So, at least she wasn't the only one who found Hell to be a bad place.  
  
"Yeah, actually that's one of the many things that I wanted to discuss with you."  
  
"Really?" Rory was feeling psychic now, or maybe that was just a sign of her impending insanity/running and screaming fit.  
  
"Due to my missing last semester, and thus being totally confused, and staring blankly at teachers when they talk, and them being able to recognize a confused person, I have been offered an extra credit assignment." Rory pictured a confused, sad-looking, Tristan with wide eyes. Yeah, that was a person she'd have pity on…and then hug and possibly kiss. But, that probably wasn't appropriate for the teachers. Instead of going for the hug and possible kiss, she gave Tristan a supportive "You do that extra-credit" grin and began riffling through her locker. She remembered what it was like to play catch-up from when she had first come to Chilton. "Not Fun" was an understatement; a big one.  
  
Tristan continued talking while watching Rory. "So, my project will be due the day we come back from break. No exceptions of course." He paused. Rory looked at him, ignoring the locker filled with books that could fall at any moment. Tristan didn't pause much in conversation. Rory knew it wasn't the "no exceptions" that caused the un-Tristan-like pause, he was used to the stupid "no exceptions" rule at Chilton. Pausing for most people meant nervousness or hesitance, and those were two things Rory didn't think Tristan suffered from. He seemed to like having Rory's full attention. So, he continued. "I am, however, allowed to have a partner of my choosing, who, the extra credit will also be made available to."  
  
"Hmmm." Rory was seeing where this was going. She went back to the arduous task of removing some books from her locker, while preparing to dodge any others that might fall. Tristan just watched her, knowing that if he didn't speak eventually, she would. "What is this spectacular extra credit assignment you've stumbled upon?"  
  
Tristan's posture seemed to relax at that question. Rory knew, that he was assuming by that question that she was interested. "Well, we'd have to construct our interpretation of how Dante perceived Hell to be."  
  
"Oh no! I'm not doing that!" Rory turned from her locker, noting that Tristan's posture had tensed again. "I just took the evil Hell Test. I now have a week to forget about Hell. I will not be lowered to thinking about it and then reconstructing it. It would ruin the whole forgetting process."  
  
"Oh come on Mary!" Tristan leaned in closer.  
  
"My name is not Mary! It is Rory!" Rory gave the automatic response for the millionth time, but with no less venom than she had contained the first time. "Why don't you work with Paris? She'll love you forever for giving her the chance at all that extra credit." Rory turned back to her overflowing locker.  
  
Tristan's eyes rolled. "Paris isn't the one I want to love me forever." There were those stupid heart flutters Rory got. "Besides, I thought you'd jump at the chance to get ahead of Paris. You know," Tristan leaned in even closer, some would say kiss-ably close, "be first in the class."  
  
Rory eliminated some more of the remaining distance. "Appealing. Very appealing. You should be on the debate team. And all the credit sounds good, as does the very thought of spending a whole week with your irritating self." Tristan smiled as Rory took her turn doing the eye roll thing. "But you want to know what's even more appealing? The possibility of not having to think about school or not having to do any of its stupid assignments; now that is a happy thought."  
  
Tristan sighed. "You have no homework?"  
  
"Thus far." There was a big smile on Rory's face.  
  
Judging by Tristan's expression he had more than a little work to do over break. "I bet you'll get homework during last hour."  
  
"No, no bet."  
  
"So, you know I'm right! No, I know that I'm unlucky enough that if I make that bet, then I'll have homework. But, if I'm open to the possibility, it won't happen."  
  
Tristan was silent for a second. "Can I see that book for a second?"  
  
Rory had been about to put one of the many novels she was reading in her bag. "What this one?" She held it out to him, assuming he had some interest in it. No such luck.  
  
Tristan took it. "You'll get this back when you agree to work with me."  
  
Rory took a moment to look exasperated, "That didn't work the last time you tried to take my books and it won't work this time." Rory's mind flashed to the last time. It had been the end of the last school year; Tristan had wanted her to go to a P.J. Harvey concert with him. That had been the day she had finally told Dean she loved him. Hmmm. No more Dean now, he was happy in Chicago.  
  
Tristan also seemed to be thinking, still holding the book he burst into mock begging. "Please, Please, Please! You can pretend it's not Hell we're working on."  
  
"Then what would it be?"  
  
Another moment of thinking, but a small one. Tristan was good at thinking quickly. "It could be a nine story children's daycare."  
  
Rory had to laugh. "A daycare?"  
  
Tristan gave a weak smile. "The worst daycare ever."  
  
Rory gave in. "Okay. But only because I think it might be fun to build the worst daycare ever."  
  
Tristan smiled. It was a real one, a big one, Rory liked it. "I'll meet you back here after school. Then, I'll drive you home; we can begin developing ideas for the daycare there."  
  
"You mean I'll get to ride in your silver sports car?" Rory added some child-like excitement to her voice.  
  
"Yep. You can even sit in the front seat, next to me."  
  
"Okay!" With that said Rory slammed her locker. And was about to leave for class when a final comment of Tristan's made her stop.  
  
"I can't believe you're excited to ride in my car. You're actually making me look forward to it, and I drive the thing everyday."  
  
"Oh Tristan, you're just excited about what we could do if we parked the car." Tristan looked surprised. Normally such a comment was his department. But what could Rory say; it had been there, begging to be said. She could always blame it on the craziness of anticipating spring break.  
  
~  
  
"It does not."  
  
"Does too."  
  
"Does not."  
  
"Too."  
  
Tristan and Rory had just entered Luke's diner. Tristan decided to get some help before he was forced to resort to giving a reply of "not." "Hey Luke."  
  
"What?"  
  
Rory made an "ugh" noise. "Luke is going to be on your side. Don't ask him. You picked the one guy in the entire world who will side with you." The way Luke was looking back and forth between the two teens; Rory knew he wanted to know what they were talking about. Of course, she also knew he would never admit it. She decided to let him wonder. Served him right, because if he knew he so would have sided with Tristan. Tristan directed his attention to Jess, who, was in leaning in the back corner of the restaurant. Rory noticed. "Okay, so Luke is one of the two people other people who would agree with you, Jess is the other." Rory brought her attention back to Luke. "We have a big favor to ask of you." Rory decided to be direct. Luke looked ready for whatever the youngest Gilmore had to say. "We need to construct Dante's version of hell, and we were wondering if you could build a wooden frame for us." Rory handed Luke the sketches she had made in the car. He was Luke, so he didn't seem too shocked. Maybe, he had to fight the usual impulse he got when he didn't want to know something. But he didn't walk away. He actually stood and even took the sketches.  
  
"It's kind of like a miniature book shelf, but the shelves can be pulled out, and it's kind of an upside-down triangular shaped. I would do it myself, but you've seen me with tools, and we want this to be good."  
  
Luke examined the sketches. "Yeah, no problem. When do you want the thing by?"  
  
"Tomorrow afternoon if at all possible." Rory gave a hopeful look.  
  
Luke did one of those things where the person sucks in a breath quickly, and it makes an almost whistling noise. "Yeah okay, now get out of here."  
  
Tristan and Rory did as they were told. Tristan gave an evil grin. "Not."  
  
As they left the restaurant Rory explained, "Cut your hair! I understand your desire to get rid of the military cut. But eventually you'll just look weird."  
  
~  
  
They were in Rory's living room. "Let's watch a movie."  
  
Rory, as usual, found herself in the position of responsibility. "No we still have some more planning to do for Hell, ummm, the daycare."  
  
"So? It's spring break. I can't think for this long!"  
  
"It's only Friday, you'll have plenty of time to not think. Besides, after the planning, and the figuring out how to get most of these materials, we'll be doing mainly brainless work anyway."  
  
"I can't wait that long." Moaned Tristan. Rory just gave an "I'm sorry, but this is the way things are" shrug.  
  
"Okay, what time does your mom get home?"  
  
"In about an hour. Why?"  
  
"Okay, so we watch a movie for forty minutes, then we start working." Tristan was giving a tempting smile.  
  
Rory shook her head. "You know, for Lucifer, we should just put in your picture."  
  
Tristan's smile clearly indicated that he was interpreting that as a "yes" to the movie idea. Tristan had been over to the Gilmore house enough to know how to operate the VCR. (An impressive feat) He started the movie, all the better Rory figured. Now she had the ability to place all the blame on the Evil one himself. They watched an old Superman movie and naturally made fun of it the whole 40 minutes that they watched.  
  
Surprisingly, it was Tristan who ended the mocking-movie session and insisted on the return to work. "Oh no, the day you keep in on a few minutes longer is the day your mom comes home a few minutes early. Trust me. We resume work now. Besides, we won't be able to work too long; you have to drag your mom to your grandmother's. That will take effort, you won't be able to design hell with me. Plus, we have a schedule we're going to have to keep. I will not suddenly realize we have a million hours worth of work to do on the last of break. I've done that before. I will not do it again. Especially with you; you look like the kind that gets really cranky if you're worried about making a deadline." All this came in response to Rory's single moan that had clearly meant she didn't want to work.  
  
Twenty minutes later the planning was done. It all looked simple enough, but there were still doubts swimming through Rory's head. "I still don't know where you're going to find rubber snakes small enough."  
  
"Well, I'll look, and if worst comes to worst we'll think of some way to make the snakes."  
  
Just then Lorelei entered. She didn't seem to be in anyway shocked by Tristan's presence, as he was often here ever since he had come back to Chilton. "Hey, what are you two up to?"  
  
"Nothing." Rory supplied in a singsong voice. "Just trying to decide how we're going to get snakes for our Hell."  
  
"You mean you're letting snakes loose in Chilton? Cool! I want to watch."  
  
"No mom were building Dante's version of Hell for extra credit."  
  
"Hmmm, can we do the idea I suggested too?"  
  
"Yes, of course." Tristan answered before Rory could.  
  
"Suck up." Rory insulted. Tristan gave an "I don't care what you think shrug" with a smile to match.  
  
"Hey, Tristan, as much as I would love for you to stay, I have to kick you out. I don't want you to witness the terrifying sight of Rory dragging me to my parents' house."  
  
"See, all that sucking up and all you got was kicked out." Rory smiled.  
  
"Hey, if he hadn't sucked up I might have dragged him with us. He certainly would take some of that disapproving attention away from me."  
  
"It's okay." Tristan stood and stretched, taking his notes. "I'll see you tomorrow at 2."  
  
"I'll find the paint before you come, and I probably will have already gone to Luke's for coffee, so I'll bug him about the frame."  
  
"Okay, until tomorrow. Bye Lorelei." With that said, Tristan showed himself out.  
  
The two Gilmore girls were silent for a minute. Rory read the twinkling look in her mother's eye, and the slight almost laughing smile on her face. "Don't say it."  
  
"You'll never get together if you don't let him know that you like him."  
  
"What did I say about not saying that?" Rory questioned from her sitting position.  
  
"You told me not to say it. He likes you. I can tell." Lorelei was giving a motherly "aww, how cute" smile.  
  
"Mom. Besides, he already knows I like him from the last time YOU told him." Lorelei had told Tristan that Rory liked him over Christmas break, after Tristan had rear-ended them. Then, Lorelei had threatened to kill him if he hurt Rory.  
  
"I thought you weren't holding a grudge about that." Lorelei looked pained.  
  
"I thought I wasn't, but woops, there it is."  
  
"Okay, I understand." Lorelei did her best to look like an ashamed little child. "Commence the dragging to see your Grandmother now."  
  
~  
  
"So Rory how are you planning to spend your spring break? You could always go to the club with your Grandfather. I know Richard would love that, wouldn't you Richard." Emily questioned her husband.  
  
"Yes, of course." Was Richard's simple reply.  
  
Rory gave a closemouthed smile "I'd loved to, but I'll actually be working on an extra credit project for most of the break."  
  
"Well, I'm sure you can manage to organize it so you can spend a day away from your work." Emily's voice, to the casual observer seemed nice and friendly. But to those trained to hear it, which included all of those around the table, could detect the twinge of iciness that voice possessed.  
  
"Actually, I have a partner. And we've already scheduled all the times were going to work on the project, which will include everyday, except the last Sunday of break. And then, I'd like to review my notes for all my classes, so I'll remember everything when I get back."  
  
Lorelei made a slight noise, but actually managed to restrain herself from saying anything. Rory thought her mom was learning.  
  
"That's very nice that you and your partner have such a high degree of organization." The iciness was still in Emily's voice.  
  
Rory attempted to calm the storm. "I would ask him to rearrange a day, but before he was ranting about how he didn't want to end up doing all the work last minute."  
  
"Now that's a Chilton boy. Way to take the initiative." Richard seemed enthusiastic. "Who is this boy? You've just been saying he or him?"  
  
"Actually Grandpa, you met him at my sixteenth birthday party. It's Tristan Dugray."  
  
"Ah yes, I remember him, Janlen Dugray's Grandson. Janlen always was a good businessman. But, I got the impression you didn't like him much."  
  
"I didn't then, but he's kind of growing on me." Rory admitted.  
  
"Oh, that's nice." Richard smiled sincerely.  
  
"Oh, I know, you could invite your friend Tristan over to dinner next Friday." Emily suggested. At least the coldness was gone.  
  
"Ummm, Mom." Lorelei tried to interject.  
  
"It will be fun. Lorelei, you could bring a friend too."  
  
Now Lorelei just looked scared. This was a new twist in Emily's style. "No, I think most of my friends are busy on Friday evenings. That really seems to be the night to do stuff." Emily gave her daughter an "Oh please" look. Like we're always here." Lorelei motioned to the room. "And my friends are always out and around there." Lorelei waved her arms around a little.  
  
"Lorelei, have you been drinking?"  
  
"Ummm, no Mom."  
  
"Don't say "ummm," that's an atrocious habit it to get into. Public speakers lose respect for other public speakers if they say things like ummm."  
  
"Thanks Mom, I'll keep that in mind if I ever decide to speak publicly."  
  
"So, it's all settled then, Rory, you will invite your friend for dinner next week. You can tell us about the big project you're working on."  
  
"Well you know, Mom, Rory is the one who has to worry about the ummm's and the public speaking. Not that she has to worry, because she is good at all that. But, you know, she does know about that project. She doesn't need anyone to help her explain it." Rory got the impression Lorelei was reliving one of her own battles with her mother in her head.  
  
"It's okay Mom, the details of the model still aren't certain. It would be okay to explain it next week." She smiled at Lorelei, trying to bring her back to reality.  
  
"But, you could explain a lot of it now, couldn't you?"  
  
"Yeah, I could if it was necessary."  
  
"But, your grandfather and I would like to wait for next week." Emily quickly retorted.  
  
Rory's only thought to all this way "Oh boy." She had no idea what this was about. But it seemed to be one of those things her mom would refuse to talk about later. She only hoped that they would all make it through the night.  
  
Rory's hope was fulfilled. She followed her grandfather's example and remained silent in the background as Lorelei and Emily fought out whatever there was to be fought out. Instead Rory concentrated on how she was going to get some of the materials for their project and the fact that she would be seeing Tristan tomorrow, even if it was just to work on building "the worst daycare ever." With Tristan, work often turned out to be fun. This fact gave Rory something to look forward to.  
  
~  
  
Well, that's it for now. Thanks for reading it. If you're willing, I'd appreciate a review. I'll write again as soon as possible. : ) 


	2. Little Green Men, Pink Paint, and Pastri...

Hello again! Just a reminder I still own none of this. However, I wish I did. Thanks to those of you who have reviewed. I appreciate it greatly. Hmmm, I think that's all I have to say.  
  
  
  
~  
  
Why was Rory nervous? Well, because Tristan would be there any minute. But why should this make her so jumpy? Well, Rory had taken a long time to admit she even liked Tristan, but still, this should not be a cause of nervousness. There was nothing to be nervous about. Over Christmas break he had seen her at her worst. Well, at her worst was an overstatement, just in her pajamas. But, he had seen her in her pajamas twice. That had to count for something.  
  
Rory let out a little sigh, in hopes it would force out some of her apprehension. She was starting to get mad at herself. He was here yesterday. He is your friend. This is not a cause for trepidation.  
  
New approach, Rory began to occupy her mind with the project in the hopes of easing her knotted stomach. Luke had already had the frame ready for her when Rory and Lorelei had gone for their morning coffee. So, that was taken care of. She had found an assortment of paints that would work on the wood. Another check on her imaginary list. She had also stolen, with permission of course, some of her mom's very diverse sewing materials. Great, so all they needed now was partner. Knots tightened in her gut. There went any progress she had made to distract herself from her edginess over Tristan.  
  
Before she could berate herself over her inability to control her own emotions the doorbell rang. She made her way from her room, through the kitchen and to the front door. Before opening the door, she glanced at the living room. She had wanted to straighten the cluttered room, but then had been too concerned that Tristan would realize she had cleaned for him. Rory held in the scream she wanted to release. IT'S TRISTAN! HE IS COMING OVER TO WORK ON A PROJECT! THIS IS NOTHING TO FREAK OUT ABOUT!  
  
Rory opened the door. She took in the sight of him. The sun was shining down on him, emphasizing the blondness of his usually disheveled hair. He looked comfortable in a t-shirt and baggy jeans. He was holding a bag of what Rory assumed to be their supplies. She opened the door wider and stepped to a side, giving Tristan room to enter the house.  
  
"Hello." He said rather cheerfully.  
  
"Hi." Rory closed the door. The fact that Tristan had been at the Gilmore house numerous times showed, as he didn't wait for Rory's guidance, but instead headed strait for the coffee table in the living room. Rory followed him.  
  
"Oh good, you already got the frame from Luke. He did a good job." Tristan touched the wooden frame, before setting his grocery bag down.  
  
"Luke always does." Rory sat down on the floor, determined not to let any of her nervousness show. She decided the best way to do this was to begin work. So, she immediately told Tristan about the supplies she had already obtained. "Then, also, towards the end, we may need a label make for identifying all the levels and creatures. We have one, somewhere, so I'll begin that search tonight, and within a week it will definitely be found."  
  
Tristan didn't seem in anyway surprised by her comment. "Right." Tristan opened the brown paper bag he had brought, and turned it upside down. What had to be about 50 little green army men fell out. "Meet our sinners to suffer in hell."  
  
"Wow. You were big into the army guys when you were little. Can you bear to part with all of them?" Rory questioned half jokingly.  
  
"Did you have trouble parting with your childhood toys? If I look, will I find a Barbie under your bed?"  
  
"No. I stopped hiding things under my bed when I was ten. But we're not talking about me. Our subject was your favorite. You."  
  
Tristan feigned sadness. "I will survive somehow." He even put his hand up to his forehead in fake distress.  
  
"Has anyone ever told you you'd make a great southern bell?" That comment got Rory a look worth remembering.  
  
~  
  
Pink paint. Tristan's hands and arms were covered in it. He was paining the little green men. Rory was trying not to laugh while painting the River Acheron and the Noble Castle in Limbo. But the difference was, Rory was using a brush. Tristan had abandoned the brush long ago, and had resorted to using his hands, the messiest alternative imaginable. Tristan didn't seem to mind though. He actually seemed to enjoy it. Rory got the impression that Tristan had been a messy baby. She could just imagine his parents or nanny trying to feed him and all of the baby food ending up all over the room. Rory was sure the messiness factor had continued, to boyhood. "Did you ever make mud pies as a child?"  
  
Tristan looked up from his work. "Yeah, why?"  
  
Rory just shook her head; she didn't trust herself not to laugh at the image of a young Tristan playing in the mud. Finally she added, "No reason." She had to bet Tristan had matured though; he had somehow managed to contain the mess to himself and the little green men. That was an impressive feat. Rory was using a brush, but still she managed to dribble on the newspaper she had wisely placed on the carpet below the Inferno frame.  
  
There was a knock on the door. "It's open." Rory yelled, unwilling to put forth the effort to actually get up and answer the door. Sookie entered the house. Which was actually surprising, and seemingly difficult given the fact that she was carrying four huge pastry boxes. "Wow! What's with all the food?" Rory said, now getting up to help the struggling seated. Tristan remained seated, aware that he would be of little help. The pastry boxes were already pink.  
  
"Oh, I just wanted your mom to try some new recipes I've created. You know, see which one is best. Is she here?"  
  
"Yeah, in the kitchen." Rory informed leading the way.  
  
Lorelei welcomed Sookie with the comment of "Oh good, I was hungry."  
  
Rory reentered the living room. This time she couldn't contain the laugh. Tristan had resumed working. But stopped again, at the sound of Rory's chuckle. "What?"  
  
"Nothing, it's just, well, you're pink."  
  
Tristan called forth some of his ever-present manly pride. "So?"  
  
Rory once again tried to contain her laughter. "Nothing, it's just a very good color on you." Rory crossed the room over to the wooden model to resume her work.  
  
"Right, well, don't get used to pink combined with me." Tristan resumed his work.  
  
"Oh, so you're not going to buy a pink dress shirt to go under your Chilton uniform? I'm so disappointed." Rory feigned sad-eyed distress. "The entire female population of Chilton would love you if you wore a pink shirt."  
  
"I'm sure you'll deal with the disappointment and the entire female population of Chilton already loves me."  
  
"Ah, yes there's that ego again, I was wondering when it would come out to play. But, I've caught it, you might say, pink handed."  
  
Tristan shook his head. "That was lame."  
  
"I suppose it was, but I was distracted by the fact that I find it both sad and amazing that you can still be proud while covered in pink paint."  
  
"What can I say, I'm amazing."  
  
"Okay, you just totally ignored the sad part."  
  
"Selective hearing has many benefits." Tristan said, not looking up as he added a now totally pink army man to a line of them.  
  
"And you use them to their fullest."  
  
Tristan was about to reply, but both Sookie and Lorelei entered the room; properly diverting both of the teens' attentions. Lorelei took on the role of a food critic's boss. "Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to sample these two pastries. And choose one as superior. Then you must justify your decision." Okay, so she also mixed in the role of being a destructible tape from "Mission Impossible." "This is not an easy task, many have failed' including myself. So, good luck."  
  
Rory stopped painting and moved to sit beside Tristan behind the coffee table. His hands were still pink. "As much as I'd like to accept this mission, I lack the proper tools to achieve it." Tristan raised his pink hands for all to see.  
  
"Nonsense. Rory can help you eat." Sookie said placing a blue jellied pastry on one napkin, and a pastry with red jelly on another, all while miraculously avoiding the long line of little pink men. After this she and Lorelei proceeded to stare at Rory and Tristan; who stared back.  
  
Lorelei got the idea first. "I don't think they want to be observed while they eat Sookie, come on." Lorelei began to usher Sookie back into the kitchen.  
  
"Oh but-"  
  
"If they're uncomfortable, it may have a negative effect on how they think the pastries taste." No more arguments came from Sookie.  
  
Rory and Tristan looked at each other. Tristan gave a cocky smile. "I'd like to try the red one first." He then proceeded to open his mouth wide for Rory to place a piece in it. Rory did a little head shake and eye roll, but did as Tristan wanted. She then sampled a piece of the red pastry herself.  
  
As could be expected from Sookie, it was very good. "Now the blue one." Tristan repeated the bit where he opened his mouth. This time Rory's head shake and eye roll was a bit more noticeable, but she still fed Tristan. "Hmm, very good. But, I think I'll have to try the red one again." Rory gave a "You're unbelievable" look. But placed another piece of the red one in him mouth. "You know, you're quite the servant. I think you could handle both fanning me and feeding me grapes. We'll have to try tomorrow."  
  
Tristan had taken one step too far, well; maybe it was more like one hundred steps too far. Rory with her best mischievous face in place picked up the blue-jellied pastry. "Do you want to try this one again, My Lord." She faked a British accent, then progressed to mash it in Tristan's face.  
  
Tristan sat still for a second, with partial remains of the pastry over his face, he then through himself into action. First by attacking Rory with his pink hands, while she was attempting to avoid the pink paint, he leaned his head forward, and rubbed his cheek against her cheek, effectively getting some of the pantry on her face. Rory half screamed, half laughed. Tristan withdrew his face slightly, but still remained leaning over Rory. They both grew very still and silent. But Tristan wasn't done yet. He took his hand and gently smeared some pink paint across Rory's nose, cheeks, and forehead. She didn't fight it or move at all; she just kept eye contact with Tristan. She was even to the point where she thought he might kiss her. Her heart jumped a little at that thought. But, naturally Sookie and Lorelei chose this moment to walk back into the living room.  
  
Sookie was oblivious to Rory and Tristan's situation. "So which one did you like better?"  
  
Tristan returned to an upright sitting position. Rory couldn't have moved if she wanted to. "I think the blue one, it really brings out her eyes."  
  
Sookie seemed slightly confused. "But started mumbling, "the blue one, hmm." As she went back into the kitchen. Lorelei, however, remained. She had noticed her daughter predicament. And Lorelei now had a strange close- lipped almost evil grin on her face. It went rather well with her sparkling eyes that concentrated on Rory and Tristan.  
  
Rory found her voice. "What?"  
  
Lorelei gave a small weird laugh.  
  
"Mom, stop that. You're scary."  
  
Lorelei's smile only widened.  
  
You can go back to the kitchen now, scary lady." Surprisingly, Lorelei did as she was told.  
  
With the adults gone, Rory and Tristan looked at each other again. Tristan was trying to suppress a smile. Rory only sighed.  
  
~  
  
It had taken only about ten minutes to get all of the pastry off Tristan and her own face. For the sake of progress, Tristan had continued to paint the little army men. Rory hadn't actually found herself minding picking pastry pieces off Tristan's face, actually. Of course she wouldn't admit that to him.  
  
Suffice to say, the rest of the afternoon passed quickly. They managed to finish Limbo, and painting all of the army men. But then they had called it a night. But before Tristan could leave Lorelei had to add one last thing. "Did you tell him?"  
  
"Tell him what?" Rory had no idea what her mom was talking about.  
  
Tristan looked slightly worried from the mother to daughter. Lorelei had sounded too excited for this to be good news. "Tell me what?"  
  
Lorelei gave an uncharacteristic evil smile. "That you are invited to the Gilmore family dinner next Friday night, and you have this little lady to thank for it." Lorelei placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders. Then quickly ran off, knowing all the damage was inflicted.  
  
Rory rolled her eyes. "It's not my fault. They were questioning my about my plans. They wanted to know why I couldn't go to the club with Grandpa. They kind of just got it out of me."  
  
"So, you want me to have dinner with your grandparents?" Tristan's eyebrow was raised.  
  
Rory was surprised at the lack of a smart remark. "Well, they wish it, I don't normally wish suffering on my friends. We can make some excuse for you. But, if you do come, don't worry, I'm sure Mom will do something that will distract and infuriate Grandma for most of the time." Rory couldn't stop babbling. It was something she did when she was nervous about the answer. But Tristan's nodding managed to stop her.  
  
"Why not, I'll go. Your grandfather didn't seem too bad last year at your birthday. Plus, I'm kind of curious to know more about the people that could bring a person like your mother into the world."  
  
Rory nodded. "What you find will not lead to answers, only more questions."  
  
Tristan looked confused by the response, but left with no further questions, only the promise of seeing Rory tomorrow, which managed to cause happy little butterflies to soar around Rory's stomach no matter how many times she told them and herself that he was coming over for a school project.  
  
~  
  
Rory could tell her mom wanted to discuss the "pastry" incident that had occurred earlier between Rory and Tristan. But, Rory, who didn't feel like discussing it at the present time, managed to avoid the discussion by going to take a shower. "I have to get all the pastry and paint off." Was her reason. Her mom made a face, but was wise enough to know Rory would talk to her when she was ready. So, Lorelei tended to Sookie who was still over and trying to decide among other variations of pastry.  
  
Rory couldn't help but smile. Not only at her mother's befuddled friend, but just at life itself. She was most certainly in a good mood. And she was very much looking forward to the next day, and what it would bring. Namely, Tristan.  
  
~  
  
Tah Tah for now! Hoped you enjoyed it. You can always tell me if you did, by reviewing. (That was another one of my obvious hints for you to review) :) 


	3. Wind, Clothes for Little Pink Men, and L...

Once again, thanks to everyone who has reviewed. And thanks to my mom for attempting to edit, and to Nicole for actually editing. I would be lost without you. : )  
  
  
  
~  
  
Today is Sunday. Normally, at this time Rory would be reading a novel, dreading the next day. Mondays were always the day that came after Sundays. Mondays always meant going back to Chilton. So, Mondays would be forever ruined for Rory. Chilton was so bad; that now, even Sundays were often thought of in a negative light; but not this Sunday. A grin spread across Rory's face. This Sunday was a part of Spring break. There would be no traveling to dreaded Chilton the next day. Plus, both days would be spent, in part, with Tristan. Thus, Sunday and Monday had taken on whole new meanings to Rory. Good meanings, meanings that made her happy and unable to concentrate on her novel of the week.  
  
Rory was lying on her bed, attempting to read. Her half-hearted attempt was failing miserably. Tristan would be here soon. She had already reorganized all their materials for "the worst daycare ever." That had been Rory's attempt to distract her mind from the blond haired boy her mind kept running back to. There was a problem with her clever plan to distract herself with organizing: She had to look at the pink paint. That had brought her mind to the day before; Saturday. That day had been spent with Tristan as well. Rory couldn't ignore the thought that spending certain days with Tristan was giving these days whole new meanings.  
  
Interesting. What would she do next week when Monday would come again, as Mondays always do, (kind of like cockroaches, they never stop coming no matter how many you stomp on) and Rory would have to return to evil Chilton, but she'd be thinking about how she had spent the past Monday (tomorrow) with Tristan. There would be confusion. There might even be confusion now.  
  
Rory reverted to her sighing technique that was supposed to help concentrate her mind. It didn't work. Why did she keep doing that? It never worked. The thought of Tristan wouldn't go away because she was breathing louder and more deeply.  
  
Rory rolled back onto her stomach. She read several sentences, and then looked at the clock. Tristan probably wouldn't be here for another twenty minutes. She looked back at the book, read several sentences, and then looked back at the clock. The time hadn't changed yet. She reverted to her non-working sighing technique, then returned to the novel to read several sentences. Wait! That was confusing. She reread the sentences. Hmm, She realized that she had read the same several sentences four separate times now, possibly more. She had taken a lot of breaks from those several sentences to look at the clock. Usually, Rory didn't take so long to understand several sentences. Rory stared at them blankly. The words became blurry. What was this book about? She couldn't remember the plot, let alone the book title. How unlike Rory.  
  
The sigh therapy was enforced again. No help there. Rory closed the book and rolled back onto her back to stare at the ceiling and wait for time to pass. At least there were no words on the ceiling to get blurry.  
  
"Hey."  
  
Rory turned her attention to her door. Don't think for a second it was Tristan. Lorelei was leaning in the doorframe.  
  
"Hey."  
  
"So, ah, is Evil What's-his-name coming again today?"  
  
"Tristan. And he hasn't been very evil as of late." Deep breath. No, not evil at all, just very cute and funny. "And he should be here in about seventeen minutes."  
  
"Wow! Seventeen minutes huh?"  
  
Rory nodded from her position on her bed.  
  
"So, are you counting the seconds as well?"  
  
Before Rory could answer, the doorbell rang. The race was on. Both Gilmores sprinted for the front door. Lorelei had a slight advantage. She had started closer to the door and had been in a standing position. It is far easier to run from a standing position then from the position of lying on one's back.  
  
So, Lorelei was the first to the door. She already had it open as Rory skid to a halt beside her. Both the Gilmores excitement was obvious, Lorelei's at having won the race, and Rory's at the thought of who would be on the other side of the now open door. Some of both of the girls' excitement went to a lower notch of intensity, however, when Lane was revealed to be the ringer of the doorbell. Lane noticed the lessening of excitement.  
  
"What?"  
  
Lorelei opened the door so Lane could come in. "We raced. I won."  
  
"Oh." Lane nodded remaining outside.  
  
"Only because she had a head start."  
  
"Oh please, we both heard the doorbell at the same time. There weren't two separate doorbell rings."  
  
"But you were closer."  
  
"Not that much closer."  
  
Rory shook her head at her mother. "Why did you ring?"  
  
Lane had been following the slight argument between mother and daughter. So, she wasn't prepared for the question. "What?"  
  
"Why did you ring? You never ring. You don't have to. You just come in normally." Rory explained.  
  
Lane shrugged. "It's a nice doorbell."  
  
Both of the Gilmore girls raised their eyebrows at the comment. "Are you okay?" Rory questioned her best friend, who wasn't behaving at all like her usual self.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. My mom's just been driving me crazy. Plus, we promised to hang out together this break. I was just going to make honest people out of both of us."  
  
Rory looked pained. Lorelei walked into the living room, to give her daughter the privacy to let her best friend down slowly.  
  
Lane noticed the pained look and the sudden absence of Lorelei. She put on a resigned face. "What?"  
  
"Well, it's just…you know Tristan is coming over."  
  
Lane's resigned face was replaced with an excited one. "Wait! He's coming over like now. Oh my God! I'll leave you alone then."  
  
Rory rolled her eyes. "It's just to work on a project. He really needs the credit." Rory told her best friend and herself for like the hundredth time.  
  
Lorelei, who was listening from 3 feet behind Rory and visible to Lane, exchanged an "oh please" look with Rory's best friend.  
  
"Right." Lane said, turning to go. "I'll see you later. Tell me how that project goes." Lane turned suddenly back to Rory. "Oh, and don't forget. Wednesday night."  
  
Rory had forgotten. What was happening Wednesday night? Lane could obviously tell by Rory's expression that she had forgotten. But as any good best friend, Lane forgave Rory for her forgetfulness and gave her a hint. "Three-way call with Henry."  
  
Comprehension passed over Rory's face. "Right. Seven o'clock. I got it. See you soon."  
  
Lane smiled and returned to walking back towards her house. Before Rory could close the door though, Tristan pulled up in his silver sports car. In less than a minute he was at the front door. "Did I see Lane leaving?"  
  
Rory stepped back, allowing Tristan to enter the house. "Yep. She just finished reminding me of something."  
  
"Reminding you of what?" Tristan asked playfully.  
  
"Nothing much. Just our evil plan to undermine Mrs. Kim's authority so Lane can talk to her beloved, acceptable-to-parents-but-still-secret, boyfriend, Henry."  
  
Tristan smiled and went into the living room. Rory knew he and Henry had become, as far as she could tell, pretty good friends. Or they could have been friends before, but she had just never really noticed. Rory shook her head before her thoughts went too far off track and closed the front door.  
  
~  
  
Today, the for once enjoyable Sunday, Tristan and Rory were beginning work on the actual Hell proper. The first level was for those who had lusted in their lives. Tristan was painting swirls of wind onto the wooden frame. Rory had praised him for actually using a paintbrush this time. Tristan had commented about how Rory wounded him. He then stated, "After all, this is what the brush is for. I certainly don't want to waste it."  
  
"Hmm." Had been Rory's response. She was working on putting a small dress she had made on Francesca; formerly one of the little green army men. Being pink suited the soon to be her.  
  
Tristan paused from his painting to watch Rory. "You know, in most portrayals, the people in the whirlwind are actually naked."  
  
Rory blushed. For the most part she had learned to control her blushing tendency, at least in front of Tristan. She would reprimand herself for letting this one get by later. "Let me have my illusion. Besides, this way the observer will be able to tell which one are the women. Not like there were any women with the guys you brought."  
  
Tristan spoke as though he was addressing a three year old. "I'm sorry, but the toy company didn't make girl soldiers when I bought the toys."  
  
Rory gave a little glare in his direction. "Well, they should. I still don't think they make girl soldiers." Rory thought for a second. "Not that I've actually looked." Rory refocused. "But by buying only male soldiers you reinforced the company's assumption that the consumer wants only male soldiers."  
  
Tristan couldn't stop his eyes from rolling. "I'm sorry. I was, like, four years old. I just wanted the soldiers to play with. In the future, I'll try to be more careful of the impression I give toy companies. But you know, if it really upsets you, you can write a letter." Tristan went back to his wind painting.  
  
"Well, I'm just saying, it will give children the impression that girls can't be sold-"  
  
"Write a letter."  
  
Rory got the impression Tristan didn't want to talk about thousands of girls across the country who could be assuming, because there were no little green girl soldiers; there could be no real, normal-colored, women soldiers. Rory began attaching strings to all the pink former-soldiers she had just dressed.  
  
Lorelei entered the living room from the kitchen. "Hey, I feel like eating some of that, you know, real food; that is so rarely here. Do you guys want me to get you anything from Luke's?"  
  
Rory glanced at Tristan; he did a nonchalant head-shaking thing. Rory looked back to her mom. "No thanks, we're good."  
  
Tristan finished painting. "There. Our wind will be dry in a few minutes." He began to clean off the paintbrush on some newspaper, but soon went into the kitchen to use water. "So, do you think it would be kind of fun to be stuck in a whirlwind for all eternity?" He questioned.  
  
Rory took a few seconds to think about how to answer. "No. I mean, it could be fun for like five minutes, and then I think I'd start to get sick. After all, it is a punishment in Hell for those who spent their lives lusting. I don't think it's meant to be fun."  
  
"You have a point there." Tristan said reentering the living room. He sat in front of the frame, examining the work they had done so far.  
  
Rory soon joined him with the tied, clothed, pink people ready to be tacked up into their whirlwind. Together they began going about this arduous task. It was hard because the string and tacks were so small. Rory actually began to wish she had smaller fingers.  
  
"So, do you think lust can turn to love?"  
  
Tristan's question surprised Rory. She looked at him beside her. He seemed to be concentrating on getting a tack to stay in the wood. His arms and shoulders moved with the effort. Rory could tell, since they were sitting on their knees shoulder to shoulder.  
  
Rory did a brief moment of her sigh therapy, while she tried to think of her answer. "I don't know." She finally answered truthfully.  
  
"I think it can." Tristan replied rather quietly. Rory looked at him again. He seemed to be concentrating on his work, staring forward into the model.  
  
"Why do you ask?" Rory used a nonchalant tone of voice.  
  
Rory could feel Tristan shrug next to her. "Just curious." He used the same nonchalant tone. Rory found it to be very hard to interpret for underlying emotions.  
  
~  
  
After attaching all the strung people to the ceiling of their destined level of hell, the teens called it a night. "Until tomorrow." Tristan said giving a mock bow.  
  
Rory watched him leave, confused as ever by his earlier behavior.  
  
~  
  
  
  
Adios for now. Prepare for "Lane, P.J. Harvey, and Heads Falling Off…AGAIN." 


	4. Lane, P.J. Harvey, and Heads Falling Off...

Yeah! Exams are done. Now back to fun stuff! Thanks yet again to everyone who has reviewed.  
  
And as we should all realize by now, I own none of this.  
  
  
  
  
  
~  
  
Today is beautiful in Stars Hallow. There are no clouds in the sky, and the warm air is unnoticeable due to the nice cool wind. For lack of a better sentence, it is perfect T-shirt weather.  
  
Rory isn't outside. Although, she is wearing a T-shirt, and if it counts for something, the window is open. So the cool wind does tickle her skin as she crouches over the Inferno model. The breeze enters the Gilmore living room about every two minutes. Each time the wind gave Rory relief from her aching back, which was casually screaming, "You've been hunched over for too long now. Time for a new position." The wind also gave relief from the heat. This is not heat caused by a warm spring day, but this is heat caused from crouching beside Tristan Dugray for an hour and a half. Who was also appropriately wearing a T-shirt. So, as they worked on the model, their arms would, oh so casually, brush against each other every few minutes. Then the pesky, but enjoyable tingles would begin.  
  
Rory's back let out another silent scream. Apparently it didn't appreciate the tingles as much as the rest of Rory did. An excuse for a break popped into her head. "I'll be right back."  
  
Tristan's only response was to give a look that clearly said "No fair! I don't want to work anymore either." But Tristan continued with his messy task of gluing gray-dyed cotton balls to the ceiling of the gluttony level.  
  
Rory enjoyed a moment of standing up straight. She could figuratively feel her back sigh in relief. It felt good. Well, enough of that. Rory ran into her room to grab the object that would help her complete her villainous plan.  
  
She quickly returned to the living room, watching Tristan as he glanced at what was in Rory's right hand. His eyebrow raised as his eyes moved to her face. "You'll see." She attempted her most evil smile. It obviously wasn't too scary. Tristan didn't seem threatened at all. After all, there's not much to be afraid of from a typical CD. Tristan remained silent, kneeling in front of the Inferno model, even though he had stopped all work. He was watching Rory place the CD in the CD player.  
  
With one more attempt at a wicked glance Rory pressed play. Then, skipped back to her position kneeling beside Tristan. She resumed work on attaching blue tinsel that would be the foul rain, all while trying to suppress a smile. Tristan stayed silent. Rory felt him shrug beside her, then saw when he resumed his sticky fluffy work with the clouds. But, soon he stopped working. And so ended Tristan's silence. "Who are we listening to?"  
  
Rory also stopped work. She looked at Tristan so she could gage his reaction. "P.J. Harvey."  
  
Tristan's expression was one that clearly got the words "oh please" across. They both resumed work, presumably listening to the music. "I was right last year to think that she was a man." Tristan didn't look up from his gluey clouds.  
  
Rory glanced gave a sideways glance to judge if she was about to talk herself into a trap. Tristan continued to look seriously at his work. Rory's eyes widened in shock, comprehending what he had said, and the fact that he quite possibly had really meant it. "What?" The question came out sounding disbelieving and dumbfounded.  
  
Tristan held back a smile, "She sounds like a guy."  
  
Rory's mouth fell open, partially out of shock, and partially because she had to get enough air to be able to defend one of her favorite musical artists. "I don't believe you just said that! Of course she is not a man. She just sings like that. It's nifty to listen to. Very refreshing, especially when compared to all the things you and the other Chilton's students call music." Rory stopped her babble of words to ask an important question. "Why are you laughing?"  
  
Tristan was indeed laughing. "Calm down, Mary. I was just kidding."  
  
Rory made a mock-anger face. "You don't "kid" about P.J. Harvey."  
  
Tristan suppressed his laughter.  
  
"You look like a fish!" Tristan started laughing again, thus ending his brief puckered lips, inflated cheeks look.  
  
Rory turned all her attention back to the "worst daycare ever," while trying not to laugh.  
  
~  
  
"Mary? Are you done with Cerberus yet?" Tristan questioned in a nasal nagging voice.  
  
Rory glanced up from her clay model of the 3-headed dog. "No." She continued working, "The heads keep falling off…"  
  
Tristan made an odd noise. Rory narrowed her eyes at him. "What?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
Rory glared harder. "What?"  
  
"You really have trouble keeping poor creatures heads on, don't you?"  
  
Rory got the reference to the decapitated snowwoman of Christmas break. "I don't know what you're talking about." Rory concentrated on the dog and reattaching it's left most head.  
  
"You know exactly what I am talking about."  
  
Rory could practically hear the smile in his voice. "No, I don't."  
  
"Yes, you do."  
  
"No, I don't." Rory was getting frustrated. The stupid head wouldn't stay on. The words "Stupid" and "clay" were mumbled one after the other, and in that order.  
  
Tristan ignored the last two words. The sound of amusement was still present in his voice. "Yes, you do."  
  
"There." Rory ignored Tristan. The left most head was attached. Then, it wasn't. It could be heard as it bumped onto the floor.  
  
"Yes, you do." This time Tristan said it more silently. But not silently enough, because Rory heard it, and the combination of those 3 words drove her over the deep end. "I don't normally have trouble with heads staying on. I actually only have this problem when you are around." Sigh therapy was quickly employed. It almost seemed to work. Rory resumed work on the heads and the whole sticking them to the body concept. She was struggling with it. Tristan laughed. "This is only the second time I've ever had problems." She stated this calmly, attempting to interrupt Tristan's laughter.  
  
"Three."  
  
"What three? There's only been the snowwoman and now Cerberus."  
  
Tristan was shaking his head. "Sometimes, I think you're going to cause my head to fall off. Or you know, just cause me to go completely insane. Whichever comes first really."  
  
Rory stared at him disbelieving for several seconds. Then managed to say, "Well, you don't count." Tristan started laughing again. Rory made a last attempt at sigh therapy. It seemed to work. No, couldn't be. Had to be something about Tristan's laughter, that made her feel warm in her chest. "Sorry." Tristan stopped laughing. "You know." Rory continued, "For the whole driving you insane thing. I don't really mean to."  
  
Tristan smiled. "It's okay." He took Cerberus out of Rory's hands. Rory enjoyed the seconds in which their hands touched. "I'm actually beginning to enjoy insanity. It's actually very fun, once I got used to it, of course."  
  
"Of course." Rory gave a half smile as she watched Tristan quickly attach all three of the dog's heads. They were staying. "You know, sometimes you drive me kind of insane too."  
  
Tristan placed Cerberus in the Hell model. "Good. It's only fair."  
  
~  
  
Lane ran into the Gilmore house. She smiled as she found Rory sitting on the coach, playing with a P.J. Harvey jewel case. "I have to tell you something." Lane remained standing by the couch. Rory waited for whatever it was her best friend had to say. Lane stared back. Rory moved many miscellaneous items to one side of the coffee table and Lane sat down in the newly cleared space. "I have to tell you something." Rory blinked at Lane's repeated words. "It's very important."  
  
Tristan entered via the bathroom. "Whoa, am I interrupting some important form of girl talk. I hope you're saying good things about me Rory."  
  
"Oh, hi Tristan." Lane paused, seeming to have decided something she added. "Well, I have to go now."  
  
Rory stood as Lane did. Lane's strange behavior was disconcerting. "I thought you had something to tell me."  
  
Lane waved it off. "No, it's not important. It can wait."  
  
"Lane, two of your previous statements directly contradict that one."  
  
"Well, I lied. It's not important. There, now there's an even balance to the important/not important statements."  
  
Rory was now becoming concerned about her friend's behavior. "Well, we're done." Rory nodded to Tristan, now at the other side of the couch. "Do you want to go and see a movie?"  
  
"No that's okay." Lane began backing toward the door. I'll talk to you later. Oh, and don't forget. Wednesday. 7 PM. Henry's calling you, and you're calling me."  
  
"I know, one reminder is usually enough for me."  
  
Lane continued on her attempted exit. Rory still wanted to know what was on her friend's mind. "Come on, Lane. Movie. I think it is The Day the Earth Stood Still. I'll buy the popcorn." After many years of friendship Rory could tell her friend still wasn't swayed. "We can even bring Evil Tristan along, and laugh at him."  
  
That got a "Hey!" from Tristan and a smile from Lane, and a few seconds later an "okay."  
  
Rory and Lane began heading for the front door, but stopped when they realized that Tristan wasn't following. He hadn't moved. In fact his arms were crossed and he was giving Rory an incredulous look. "What do you mean "laugh" at him. And what's this "Evil" Tristan thing. My name's Tristan. I could understand "Handsome" Tristan. I'd consider letting that slide. But evil…" Tristan shook his head.  
  
"Would you prefer big-headed evil Tristan?" Rory was amused by the fact that Tristan didn't like his title. Now he knew how it felt.  
  
Just then Lorelei entered the room. "Howdy."  
  
"Hey Mom. How was work?"  
  
"Oh, great. Sookie and I did this thing to Michel." Lorelei paused and looked around at her audience. "I'll tell you when you're older. No sense in corrupting you now. You have company."  
  
"That's kind of you. We're going to see a movie." Now all three of the teens approached the door.  
  
"Ohhh, it's The Day the Earth Stood Still. Have a good time. Don't pick on Evil Tristan too much. He's not used to our superior small town ways.  
  
"What is with the adjective "evil"? My name is just Tristan. Why are you-" Rory pulled Tristan through the door thus avoiding any possible scene that could develop over names and proper uses of them.  
  
The warm night would be a good one, for the chirping crickets and for the teens. They would find much to mock about The Day the Earth Stood Still, Lane seemed to relax and become more like herself as she got into the whole mocking atmosphere. And Rory was more than slightly silently excited when Tristan put his arm across her chair back, right by her shoulders. Naturally, Rory would spend the rest of the movie (that is when she managed to have a second away from her mocking) contemplating the arm over the chair thing and considering all possible meaning of Tristan's action. She could discuss it with Lane tomorrow, along with whatever was so important for Lane to tell her. But until then, she'd just sit, enjoy the movie, and enjoy having Tristan's arm just touching the top of her shoulders.  
  
~  
  
More coming soon. 


	5. Sookie-food, Loser cleans rocks, and Fre...

Let's see, important things to tell everyone…gracias/merci/danke/xie- xie/grazie/any-other-language-you-know-how-to-say-thank-you-in-here/thanks for reviewing. No matter the language, you're appreciated.  
  
Also, despite many non-existent attempts on my part, I still don't own Gilmore Girls.  
  
Now, on to Rory and how she spent her spring break.  
  
~  
  
Rory sat in the kitchen, enjoying her breakfast of toasted cherry Pop tarts. The time was 12:15 pm.  
  
"I love spring break."  
  
Rory's thoughts of the time and how she had slept much of it away were interrupted by the sound of the front door opening and closing.  
  
"Hello, my beloved daughter." Lorelei entered the kitchen with a caffeine-induced grin in place and coffee and a bag full of, Rory assumed, food in hand.  
  
"Hi, Mommy Dearest."  
  
"Mommy Dearest? You mean as in evil, Joan Crawford, Mommy Dearest?"  
  
"I'm sorry, I thought we were doing strange slightly-cruel terms of endearment."  
  
"Saying you're my beloved is cruel now?"  
  
"I suppose it's a matter of opinion. But, I think we would both agree that denying a loved one coffee is cruel." Rory was eyeing the coffee in Lorelei's right hand.  
  
Lorelei smiled and placed the coffee down on the table in front of Rory. "You are so my daughter."  
  
"Did you ever doubt it?" Rory took a sip of her coffee.  
  
"Guess what I have for you?"  
  
"I'd imagine whatever is in that bag."  
  
Lorelei seemed impressed. "Such, an astute young woman you have turned into. You deserve a treat. Sookie-food!" Lorelei now placed the white paper bag on the table in front of Rory.  
  
"Sookie-food, as in food of Sookie, or food made by Sookie?" Rory paused to peak into the bag. "You're the best mommy ever." Rory used her best little girl voice.  
  
"Aww, such a sweet little girl."  
  
"Thank ya!" Rory set out the 3 pastries, trying to decide which one to eat now, and which 2 to save for later.  
  
"Anything for my daughter while I'm on my lunch break."  
  
"Hmmm." Rory picked at a pastry. She had just remembered something…  
  
Lorelei took notice of the uncharacterized picking at food and lack of funny comment. "Something wrong?"  
  
Rory brought her attention back to her mother. "I called Lane this morning. Have you noticed that she's been acting strangely, or am I just being crazy?"  
  
"Umm, I haven't really been observing Lane too closely, but as for the you being crazy part, don't worry. You are 100% certifiable."  
  
Rory ignored the second part of her mother's comment. "She has some big news to tell me, but thus far, she hasn't told me it."  
  
Lorelei sat down at the table and began taking a piece of her daughter's pastry that, so far, Rory hadn't eaten. And now she wouldn't be able to eat it. "I wouldn't worry, honey. When Lane wants you to know whatever it is she has to say, I'm sure she'll tell you." Lorelei brushed some of her daughter's hair behind her ear. "You just have to be sure to be there for you when she's ready to talk. Kiddo."  
  
Rory gave her mom a faint smile.  
  
"Well, the coffee and Sookie-food have been delivered. My mission is complete. I am off." Lorelei stood to leave.  
  
Rory quickly returned to her usual self. "Oh, before I forget, have you seen the label maker? I'm going to need it for the project and I can't find it anywhere."  
  
"Frankly, honey, I have no idea where the cursed thing is. But, if I was forced to guess, I'd say that it was in this house somewhere." Lorelei gave a look-I-was-just-very-helpful smile.  
  
"Thanks. Whatever would I do without you?" Rory rolled her eyes as she popped a piece of her pastry into her mouth.  
  
"Go crazy."  
  
"An accomplishment, considering you already said I was certifiable."  
  
Lorelei changed the subject. "Hey, when is cute not-so-evil-anymore-boy going to be here?"  
  
"Not for another hour." Rory watched as her mom smiled and left.  
  
~  
  
"Okay, so where are the rocks?"  
  
Tristan stared blankly. Then, finally, after realizing Rory would do nothing more than stare back at him, he questioned, "What rocks?"  
  
Rory gave a panicked Oh-my-god-he-doesn't-know-what-I'm-talking-about look. "The rocks that the hoarders and spendthrifts have to pull around behind them. I though you were bringing them."  
  
Tristan remained relaxed, "Huh," he shrugged, "I thought they would be provided." His look had an air of being slightly accusatory, but at the same time was very light and good-natured.  
  
Rory continued to employ her staring tactic. Tristan cracked. "What? You didn't expect me to look for small rocks at home and then bring them all the way out here, when there are perfectly good rocks in your yard, did you? Because that would be idiotic." Tristan defensively crossed his arms over his chest.  
  
"So, were you too lazy to search for the rocks or did you actually forget about them?"  
  
"Neither."  
  
"It was a mixture. You forgot, then when you remembered you were too lazy."  
  
"No."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"No."  
  
Rory stood from her position of leaning against the living room coach. "Up Lazy/Forgetful Tristan, outside we go. We have rocks to find."  
  
Tristan got up to follow Rory, who had started for the front door. But, he was quickly distracted by the two remaining pastries on the kitchen table. "Mary, how could those be there, and haven't offered me one yet?"  
  
Rory made a "you're despicable" sound and answered, "My name is Rory and they are Sookie-food."  
  
"Sookie-food?" Tristan's eyebrow was raised.  
  
"Yes, you've met Sookie."  
  
"I met the person, I'm not familiar with the adjective though." Tristan approached the table to take a pastry. Rory followed prepared to explain "Sookie food" before she feasted on the other pastry.  
  
"Sookie, the adjective, is synonymous with excellent or very yummy. Whichever you prefer." Rory took the last pastry before Tristan could even attempt to make a grab at it.  
  
~  
  
"They need to be smaller. Little pink army men supposedly have to drag them around. It has to look possible."  
  
Tristan dropped the 2 fist sized rocks he'd been holding to the ground. "This sucks, I was wrong. You have no rocks in your yard."  
  
Rory's face expressed mock shock. "Tristan Dugray, I'm surprised at you." Rory put her hand to her heart to accentuate her feigned emotion.  
  
Tristan just looked confused. "At what, the fact that there are no rocks in your yard?"  
  
Rory held back a laugh. "No! I'm surprised that you, Mr. Tristan Dugray, would admit that you are wrong."  
  
Tristan rolled his eyes from Rory and turned them back to the ground. "Tell you what, why don't we make a competition out of this?"  
  
Rory gave a considering glance, "What kind of competition?" Tristan stopped his search for pebbles and seductively moved closer to Rory. "Oh, you know, whoever finds the most acceptable rocks in 20 minutes wins and the loser…." Tristan trailed off, looking at Rory.  
  
Rory tried to remain comfortable and intelligent with Tristan 5 inches away from her. She also tried not to give in to the insistent urge that was commanding she move closer to him. "What does the loser have to do?"  
  
Tristan's eyes didn't mover from Rory's face. She returned the gesture. "The loser cleans rocks."  
  
Rory smiled, trying to relieve some of the tension in her and between them. "Loser cleans rocks, sounds like a band name."  
  
"Sure, and since I came up with the name, I get to manage. You can sing. Henry can play the guitar, and Lane can drum.  
  
"If you think I should sing, you're not a very good manager." Rory backed up a little, in the hopes that her stupid urge to get closer would realize that Rory wasn't about to give in to the demand of a brainless feeling that was sending messages to her feet to move forward.  
  
Tristan continued to watch her, very closely. "Okay, so when does this little friendly competition begin?"  
  
Tristan grinned. "Now."  
  
With that said, both teens began scowling the front yard, occasionally pushing one another away, when it looked like they might be going for the same rock.  
  
By the time each of them had one, it had been well over twenty minutes. Turns out, there weren't too many usable rocks in the Gilmore front yard. Not that the teens really noticed, after all more shoving, tickling, and laughing was going on than actual searching.  
  
Tristan tackled Rory to the ground, trying to get her rock from her hand. "Okay, that's cheating!" Rory breathed while clutching onto her stone for dear life. Tristan just laughed and continued with his attack.  
  
"Rory is everything alright?"  
  
Rory maneuvered so she could look in the general direction of the interrupting voice. "Yeah Babette, everything is FINE!" Rory accidentally screamed the word fine as Tristan managed to steal Rory's rock and mumble, "Two to zero, I win!" He quickly got up and sprinted towards the house.  
  
"No fair!" Rory quickly followed him, and using all of her momentum and weight managed to bring him down to the ground and pin him there. Babette, forgotten, returned to her home.  
  
"Ow!" Tristan shouted without thinking.  
  
Rory froze. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Why are you being all shifty eyed?"  
  
"I'm not." Tristan was. When he had said, "Yes there had been definite shifting eyes. Rory knew that this could very well be a symptom of lying.  
  
She quickly got up, freeing Tristan.  
  
Tristan sat up and reached behind him. "Hah! Three rocks to your none!" He jumped up and began running around the yard as Rory let out a small scream of frustration that was accompanied by the words "You tricked me!" and began to chase him.  
  
Rory managed to tackle Tristan yet again, and was within seconds of having all three rocks when the familiar voice of Lane interrupted the enjoyable fighting.  
  
"Umm, am I interrupting something here?"  
  
"No. We're just searching for rocks." Laughed Rory.  
  
"Searching for rocks?" Lane didn't seem to believe her.  
  
"Yeah, for the project. We turned it in to a competition." Tristan struggled to keep hold of the 3 rocks.  
  
"Do you want to help me beat Tristan?" Rory screamed and used all of her strength to yank open Tristan's hand, thus managing to take hold of all three stones. "I win! I win! I win!" She was quickly up and running with Tristan close behind her.  
  
"No, that's okay…Freaks."  
  
~  
  
About 10 minutes later Rory and Tristan had managed to find 5 more rocks and were officially too tired to search for anymore.  
  
"Where did Lane go?" Rory asked rather breathlessly as they both sat down on the porch.  
  
"I don't know. Do I have to remind you that she was the one to call us freaks?  
  
Rory rolled her eyes. "She didn't mean it." She quickly made a decision. She ruled in favor of confiding in Tristan. "Actually, she's been behaving rather strangely all week."  
  
Tristan just shrugged. "Don't ask me. Girls are weird. I can't understand any of your kind."  
  
Rory smiled but managed to roll her eyes again. "Thanks for your thoughts on the issue. You have enlightened me greatly."  
  
"So much so that you'll clean all the rocks."  
  
Rory pretended to thing about his question when really the answer was one that required zero thinking. "No."  
  
Tristan and Rory entered the Gilmore house together to continue their work on that day's appointed level of Hell.  
  
~  
  
I'll write more soon! : ) (I hate to be kept waiting. So, it feels mean to keep you guys waiting.)  
  
  
  
~  
  
  
  
  
  
Special message for Erin and Dave:  
  
If you've actually read all of this, I'm impressed. But, because you read my story, I will abhor both of you forever…not that I didn't already. : ) (Have a nice day.) 


	6. Stress Demons, Mary-Paris, and Future Me...

I'm back yet again, proving that it's not so easy to get rid of me. Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Just in case you haven't been paying attention, I don't own "Gilmore Girls."  
  
  
  
~  
  
Rory sat, reading in the living room. She had been for several hours now. She was relaxed. This was spring break at it's best. Well, possibly being with Tristan or a couple of friends could make it better. But, never fear, Tristan would be over in less than an hour.  
  
Rory quickly blocked out that thought. There was a bit of stress that went with that thought. It wasn't so much the "I like him, does he like me" kind of stress. Although that was there. Don't think that wasn't there. But this stress was actually work related. They would have to work on the 6th level, which was big and complex, with trenches and bridges. This equated to a lot of work. Which wasn't fun. No, the goofing off with Tristan was fun. But today, there would be a lot of working, which could only mean that most of the fun would be squeezed out of the project.  
  
Rory continued to read. After all, she could be wrong. There is always the possibility that the stress and the panic over getting the circle of Hell done could be fun. On second thought, no it couldn't be.  
  
Rory tried sigh therapy. She would not get stressed out. It was spring break. In Gilmore language spring break translated to "stress free." Well, that and "time to be spent with friends" and "A whole week to stay up until dawn talking to your mother and best-friend and then go to bed laughing as your mother starts getting ready for work."  
  
A new shocking thought popped into her head. It caused her to stop reading, which was a big accomplishment for anything. Rory Gilmore was not easily distracted from a book. "Do I regret deciding to work on "the worst daycare ever" with Tristan?" Rory took a second to consider her answer than answered herself aloud, only sounding slightly crazy.  
  
"No. I've had lots of fun so far. For all the greatness, I'm willing to sacrifice and have a little stress in my life." She nodded, satisfied with her answer. Then returned to reading.  
  
She didn't get that far though. But, this time it wasn't her thoughts that distracted her. It was Lane. She had barged in to the Gilmore casa without knocking (Much more like her usual self) and had plopped down on the coach next to Rory. Rory, prepared to give her best friend her full attention, put the book away.  
  
"I'm ready to tell you now."  
  
Rory smiled at her friend. Lorelei had been right. Just wait for Lane to be ready to talk, and then be there to listen. Rory was totally prepared to do the duty as Lane's best friend. "Tell me what?"  
  
Lane leaned forward, preparing to tell a secret, which probably could have been yelled without anyone hearing, because Rory and Lane were the only two people in the house. Rory didn't say anything though. She did however lean forward to hear. Who was she to stop the adrenaline rush that came with hearing a secret from a best friend?  
  
"I have decided…" Lane took a second to breath. Rory noted this and realized that, whatever the news was, it was of the utmost importance to Lane. "That I really need to talk to Henry tonight."  
  
"What?" Rory had expected something different. Yes, the 3-way-call tonight. Very important. Lane had already given that impression.  
  
"So, you have to be home."  
  
"Lane, I will be. I have no plans."  
  
"7 o'clock. You can't forget." Lane made an invisible horizontal line with her right hand. That was the kind of motion that accentuated "the end," "the cut of," or if it was done in front of one's neck, "You die now."  
  
"I will be here. If anyone were to ask, 'Hey Rory, do you have plans tonight?'" Rory lowered her voice to ensure that it would be obvious that an imaginary someone had asked her the question. Then she continued in her usual voice, "I'd have to say, 'Yes. I need to be home to pick up the phone when Henry calls and then immediately after I will call Lane, and let the two talk. So I can't do anything between the times of 6:45 and probably 8. Depending on how long the conversation goes.' Acceptable answer?"  
  
Lane leaned forward. "6:45?"  
  
"Yeah, just in case he calls early."  
  
Lane leaned back, seemingly pacified. "Good thinking." There was a pause in conversation, as both girls mentally acknowledged that their night's plan was set…again. "Because, I have something important to tell Henry."  
  
Rory's interest was peaked. Ready to hear whatever Lane had been trying to tell her for almost the entire break now. "What?"  
  
Lane took a deep breath. Rory guessed Lane used a form of sigh therapy as well. Briefly, she wondered if Lane's version actually worked. But then turned her attention back to what her best friend was saying. "I have decided that my mother, who you know as Mrs. Kim, will meet my boyfriend, who you know as Henry." Lane seemed to breath easier.  
  
"Wow!" Rory was surprised. She couldn't stop a smile from forming. "That's great, Lane."  
  
Lane waved off her compliment. "Yeah, well, I'm not done yet. I have planned for this great meeting to take place Saturday afternoon at around 2." Rory nodded, knowing there was still more to come. But, Lane seemed to have distracted herself. "Do you think afternoon will be good? Because, I thought dinner would be too formal? So, why not brunch then? Except, don't call it brunch. Because my mother doesn't like to use that term. So, we're going to have to call it a late lunch." Lane quickly stated all of this. Rory nodded, as she comprehended all that her friend had just said. "And plus, I figured, you know, 2 o'clock. Tristan would be over here. And then both of you could come over to my house. Thus helping to make the atmosphere less formal and eliminating the chances of my mom being able to corner Henry and forcing him to state his entire Korean lineage. So, do you think you and Tristan could come? That is, if all of this is okay with Henry. But, I think it will be, after all he has been kind of hinting about wanting to meet my parents. I have no idea as to why he would want to. But, I'm pretty sure that I interpreted the hints correctly. So, here I go, taking a hint." Lane stopped talking, looking at Rory hopefully.  
  
Rory only took a second to think of all the work that her and Tristan wouldn't be able to get done while Mrs. Kim met Henry. But, she quickly thrust that aside. "Well, I'll have to make sure it's okay with Tristan. But, I think we'll almost most definitely be able to come."  
  
Rory smiled as Lane jumped up to her feet. "Great." Lane then sat back down again, obviously excited. "Wow. That felt really good to tell you all that. I've been wanting to for several days now. Oh, and be ready for my panicked call. Because at some point I'm going to realize exactly what I'm doing to myself and Henry and well, I guess my mother will be affected as well…but anyway, I'm going to need some of your support and encouragement. So, start thinking of good reasons as to why I'm committing this crazy act of introducing my boyfriend to my mother." Lane smiled. And Rory couldn't stop smiling at how excited her friend was.  
  
~  
  
Lane left several minutes before Tristan arrived. Almost immediately after his arrival, work had begun. Rory needed to pacify some of her impending stress. Upon her insistence that they begin work immediately and then her listing of all the things that needed to be done, Tristan had given some comment to the effect of, "You sound like Paris." Rory had begun quiet work after that, with her back to Tristan as he laughed at her wide-eyed angered response.  
  
But, eventually as the demons of stress that caused Rory to behave like Paris (!!!!!!) (Still a point of anger for Rory) began to recede from her mind, and she employed a bit of silent sigh therapy, she began to acknowledge Tristan's existence again by speaking to him.  
  
"So, Lane was over earlier." Rory moved to sit by Tristan in front of the model. She added a styrofoam bridge along the left wall. Tristan was working on sticking play-doh snakes to the top of the still little green army man that was to be Medusa. Together, both had decided that Tristan was in charge of all things that involved sticking; especially if one of the components to be stuck was a head. It seemed Rory had bad luck with such things.  
  
As Rory worked on setting the bridge in the just-right position she continued to talk. "She's decided to tell Mrs. Kim about Henry."  
  
"Hmmm." Was Tristan's only response as he continued to work.  
  
"So, the big meeting of two cultures is slated to occur Saturday." Tristan smiled at Rory's use of terminology. "And we've been asked to be a party to the whole thing, and possibly act as damage control if the need be."  
  
"I'll go. I haven't seen Henry all break yet. I'd hate to miss seeing him before his possible execution."  
  
Tristan turned to Rory. Rory knew he expected her to be smiling. No such luck. "That's  
  
not funny, you don't know Mrs. Kim. She could really kill the poor guy."  
  
Tristan just smiled. "So, what time will Henry be judged, and how long will we have to wait for the execution. Because as Mary-Paris asserted earlier, we do have a lot of work to do. Plus I was planning on running tomorrow night."  
  
Rory stopped any work she had been doing and turned her full attention to Tristan. "Okay, several things. I don't even like you calling me Mary. But, call me "Mary-Paris" one more time and I can't promise you'll make it out of here alive. And I doubt anyone would really miss you."  
  
Tristan pretended to look hurt, "You wound me Mary. I know you'd miss me."  
  
Rory ignored his comment. "I'm not done talking Mr. Dugray."  
  
Tristan obviously tried not to laugh at Rory's use of his last name.  
  
"Since when do you run? And why would you do something like that to yourself?"  
  
Tristan did laugh now. "What would you say if I told you I swim too?" Rory stared at him blankly. So he decided to answer her. "I run just about every day. It's one of those irritating habits that going to a military school will cause you develop."  
  
"You're not at military school anymore. You can stop. Stop the madness!"  
  
"You want to go running with me someday, Mary?"  
  
"No." Rory looked simply horrified at the very thought.  
  
Tristan was working not to laugh again, "Why not?"  
  
"Because, I'm sure that at whatever time you'll be running, I'll have an appointment scheduled to fall on my head at that same time. And I'd hate to miss the piano."  
  
Tristan laughed as Rory went back to her work on the next bridge.  
  
~  
  
Work continued, but was naturally interrupted when Lorelei arrived.  
  
"Hello Hell-Raisers."  
  
"Great pun, Mom." Rory rolled her eyes.  
  
Lorelei ignored her daughter's comment. "Ahh, Tristan just the poor guy I wanted to see. Have you begun preparing?"  
  
Tristan looked confused, "Begun preparing for what?"  
  
Lorelei looked shocked. "How can you not be preparing? How can you not even remember what it is you have to prepare for?"  
  
Rory looked at her mom wondering where this was going. Tristan shrugged.  
  
Lorelei was incredulous. "The inevitable! Meeting my parents. You need to prepare. I'd hate to drive you all the way back to Hartford to have you drop dead or something. Preparation! We must prepare!"  
  
"Mom-"  
  
"No Rory, you're family. You think we have it bad, it's even worse for an outsider. Especially someone as young and innocent as Tristan. Remember what happened to Dean? They ate him alive."  
  
"Mom, first of all, Tristan isn't innocent. And he's already met Grandpa."  
  
"What! How are you still alive?" Lorelei turned to Tristan waiting for an answer.  
  
Tristan shrugged. "He's done business with my grandfather. I think they got along well."  
  
"Okay, this is good." Lorelei was pacing. "So, there's a chance you'll be able to make it through the night alive. But still, you should start preparing. You know, practice answering some questions. Like 'where do you plan to go to college?' 'What is your future career interest?' 'do you plan to be buried or cremated upon your death, and if buried where?'"  
  
"Mom. Stop that." Rory turned to Tristan. "It won't be that bad. They won't ask you where you plan to be buried until the fourth or fifth time they meet you. Just be sure to have an answer when that time comes though, or they might pick out a spot for you."  
  
Tristan didn't seem too worried. "The spot won't be in their basement will it?"  
  
Lorelei and Rory exchanged glances. Lorelei answered the joke-question though. "Since your grandfather is on good terms with Dad. Probably not. Just don't provoke them, or it will be the wine cellar with you." With that Lorelei, left the Hell/worst day care ever-builders to their work. And they continued, both used to the kind of interruptions that Lorelei Gilmore brought with her.  
  
~  
  
At 6:30. Rory called it a night. They hadn't been able to finish the level of anger and deceit as Rory had hoped. It was proving to be a challenge. Plus, some paint had to dry, which was a good enough excuse to keep her stress demons satisfied for the night. Also, Tristan had to get some more styrofoam from his house. Also some more gray paint for the bridges and City of Dis that required purchasing. There were yet two more excuses as to why work would be done for the day. Plus, Rory couldn't forget, she had to be ready for Henry's call. She casually forced Tristan out of the Gilmore house. He didn't seem to mind too much, they'd worked long enough for one night. He made several comments about possibly going running. Then, he asked if Rory would like to join him. Rory started shoving him out the front door at that point.  
  
~  
  
I'll write more soon! 


	7. More Stress Demons, Blood (As in Giving)...

Hola, I wanted to get this up faster. But the teachers who enjoy assigning homework don't seem to care about my plans. How inconsiderate! Also, there was the whole Snow Day thing, which made my marvelous editor unavailable to me. But, I will never complain about having a snow day, especially when it postpones a test that I didn't study for…which it actually did!  
  
Okay, sorry this took even longer. I enjoyed having a second snow day, really I did. But there really are some people I need to talk to at school….  
  
By the way, my evil plan to take control of "Gilmore Girls" hasn't gone into effect yet, so I still own nothing.  
  
Yet again, thanks to those of you who have been reviewing. It's always appreciated. : )  
  
Okay, I'm done with my tirade. On to the story.  
  
  
  
  
  
~  
  
The sun was shining down on the budding trees that stood in front of the Gilmore house. The laughter from within could be heard through an open window. The sound helped to create the final touches of the mental picture of all that spring break should be.  
  
Lorelei Gilmore was currently on an extended lunch break that was being spent laughing with her favorite, not to mention, only, daughter, Rory. A new topic was now being discussed. It was one that Rory was much more defensive of: Whether or not she was freaking out about her constructing the Worst Day Care Ever.  
  
"I am not freaking out. I just have this irritating un-silence-able voice that keeps saying that Tristan and I shouldn't get behind, because it's all due Monday."  
  
"Your stress demons are back. Rory, those demons are not a good sign when it comes to your level of stress. They usually are a symptom that that level is actually very high."  
  
"I'm fine." Rory said this while smiling happily. This was done in hopes of reinforcing the whole "fine" part of the statement. She was sure had she said this while crying, bleeding, or while doing some other not fun activity, her mom wouldn't believe her. Judging by the suspicious look Lorelei now gave her, Rory's fineness wasn't totally believable while she smiled innocently.  
  
"I know. I just want you to remember that this is your spring break. As in a break from school work. Your stress demons should be on break as well. They seem to work pretty hard. You need to have fun. It's part of the understood but never actually said part of the meaning of 'spring break.'" Lorelei said holding her coffee cup as though it was the most fragile important thing she had ever held in her old hands.  
  
If Rory were to think about it or remember, she would probably realize that it was the same way Lorelei had looked at her when she had been a baby. But, Rory didn't concentrate on that. Her attention was on their conversation. "But you just said the supposed never said part of the meaning of spring break." Rory only left off the "Ha! I caught you not making sense part of that sentence."  
  
"Yeah, well, sometimes for the real naive ones, exceptions must be made." Lorelei took a quick sip of the coffee. Then realized she needed to include something to her definition. She pointed a finger at her daughter's direction. "Oh, by the way, you may never speak of the true meaning of spring break to anyone. Unless of course you come upon a desperately lost soul. You'll be able to identify them by their characteristics, you know, all the ones you possessed a minute ago. Oh, but judging by your face. They shouldn't have the characteristics you possess now. They should be somewhere in the middle there." Lorelei took another sip of her coffee.  
  
Rory's face was one that said "Oh please!" She decided to defend herself further. "Besides, I am having fun."  
  
Lorelei gave an evil I-know-what-kind-of-fun-you-are-having smile. "With Tristan."  
  
Rory rolled her eyes. She obviously shouldn't have tried to defend herself.  
  
"So, are you two going out yet?"  
  
"No." This one word came out rather defensively. And loudly.  
  
"Just checking because you have a history of not telling me these things until 5 minutes too late." Lorelei took another sip of her coffee while Rory rolled her eyes again. She was starting to get dizzy.  
  
"I'd tell you."  
  
"Actually, it's rather smart that you don't start dating until at least after Friday. Because the "just friends" thing will be one less thing for Mom and Dad to hold against him."  
  
Rory tried to stop, but she just couldn't. She rolled her eyes again. "I'll be sure to tell him that. Not that he even likes me." Rory had to work really hard not to acknowledge the If-you-believe-that-then-you-are- not-as-intelligent-as-I-thought-you-were look her mother gave her.  
  
The sound of the front door could be heard from the girls' positions on the coach. "Hello?" Tristan's voice called. Quickly, he became visible as he entered the living room.  
  
"Speak of the devil." Mumbled Lorelei as she went to drain her coffee cup. Both Rory and Tristan's eyes flew to her.  
  
"Whoa! I knew I was evil, but now I'm the devil. However did I manage to receive such an honor?"  
  
Rory turned to face Tristan from her position on the couch. "Don't flatter yourself, it's just an expression." Rory stated in a purposeful know-it- all tone. Tristan made a face at her.  
  
Lorelei having finished her coffee, and Rory assumed, realizing she needed to return to work soon, got up and headed to put her dish in the kitchen.  
  
Rory turned back to Tristan, and looked at him. Really looked at him. There wasn't one thing that gave it away, just the sum of a bunch of little things. Mainly his eyes contributed to it, but Tristan looked tired. "Hey, is something wrong?"  
  
"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine. I just went to give blood earlier. And I think it's starting to get to me." Tristan's right hand went up to briefly rub his sleepy face. But Rory's attention was on his left arm, where, sure enough, were the tell tale signs of having given blood: A large band aid, and the yellow stain of liquid they put on a person's arm right before they give.  
  
Lorelei reentered the living room prepared to depart for work. "Don't forget, tomorrow night. If Rory and I have to suffer so do you. So, if there's anything special you wanted to do before you died, today and tomorrow would be the time to do it." Lorelei winked and headed for the door while hearing Tristan's response.  
  
"I'll keep that in mind."  
  
Upon Lorelei's exit of the Gilmore house Tristan set down the bag, of what Rory presumed to be, styrofoam down by the couch. He then plopped down beside her. He sat there, appearing very comfortable, for a minute. Rory gave him a slightly accusing look that seemed to bring him out of his relaxed trance and to turn toward Rory. "Why did you give blood?"  
  
"Well, I was of legal age and weight, it's a good way to help people, and I really needed the community hours for Chilton."  
  
All good reasons, but none answered that question Rory had meant to ask. "Why did you give blood today of all days?"  
  
Tristan shrugged. "I remembered today."  
  
Rory nodded. That was the kind of response she had been hoping for. The kind that can be torn apart. "But you knew that we would be working today. We have a lot to do. Especially since we have to go to dinner tomorrow, I was hoping to get ahead. But now you're all tired. And of little use to the whole constructing of Hell process." Rory stopped there. Before the babbling could get too far. Plus she did feel kind of bad…Tristan did look tired; not at all in the right mode to fight a mental battle. Plus he had been off doing a good thing. See? See what the stress demons can drive a person to do? Now Rory felt bad. Here was Tristan, the guy she totally had a crush on (She could admit it to herself. 10 bonus points to her. The possibility of a Trillion points if she can ever admit it to him. Mental cringe at that thought.) Who had done a very good thing, so it had been for school…she had done things because they would appeal to Harvard…for example, house building. She fought the sudden overwhelming urge to hug him.  
  
After years of experience, Rory had learned that urges were best fought by distraction. She got up and went to the bag Tristan had brought. Upon picking it up and looking in she deduced that the needed styrofoam was present and accounted for. "No gray paint?"  
  
Tristan had closed his eyes. He tentatively opened one to look at her. "The store was out."  
  
Rory was required to employ sigh therapy. How could she go from wanting to hug him one minute to wanting to choke the ever-evil one the next. "Why didn't you go to another store?"  
  
Now both of Tristan's eyes were opened. "It was 11 o'clock last night. I really didn't feel like it. And most places weren't open then anyway."  
  
"You could have gone this morning."  
  
"I had to give blood."  
  
Rory tried her most desperate measure. The opposite of sigh therapy: she held her breath. That didn't last she had to let it out. "We are going to be behind. You're going to fall asleep. And I'm going to have to work all night to make the stupid demons shut up."  
  
Tristan sat up slightly. His eyebrow was raised. "Demons?"  
  
Oops. Rory had slipped about the demons. She stared at him blankly. He stared questioningly back. Great, so now Tristan would think she was insane. Time for the last resort. He was experiencing blood loss, it could work. "What?"  
  
Now Tristan looked confused. "Huh?"  
  
"Come again?" It worked. Rory smiled as Tristan abandon his question about the stress demons and slowly laid down on the couch.  
  
"Look, Mary, I'll be fine. I just had some fast food on the way here, and that should help. I am ready to work." Tristan reached to pick up a piece of cardboard and a bridge stencil they had made along with a pair of scissors. And began to do the cutting out thing. Rory watched him suspiciously with her arms crossed, before finally beginning her work.  
  
~  
  
Rory had been working for almost two hours now. She had given up on the whole working level-by-level idea. The lack of gray paint was frustrating and she had decided to ignore the problem by working on everything else she could. Tristan, however, was having a less frustrating time, as he had fallen asleep about an hour ago.  
  
To make things worse, Rory was undergoing a major mental, life-defining battle. The topic: whether or not to wake up Tristan. On the one hand, the stress demons were working overtime and she really didn't want to do all the work on her own. As for the other hand? Well, Tristan was cute. He didn't look evil at all. Rory imagined that this is what the child Tristan she had never gotten to know must have been like. All peaceful, and silent. Nope, not one sexual innuendo had been given since he had fallen asleep. Rory was impressed. Although, she was refusing to let her mind realize that the lack of innuendos was caused by the fact that he wasn't conscious. Ignorance is bliss. Looking at Tristan is bliss. His mouth was slightly open as he slept. For some reason that just made him cuter and more handsome. Can you guess which hand was winning?  
  
So, Rory decided to compromise. She would let him sleep for another hour max. Then she'd wake him up and force him to work. Her evil plan was set. Unfortunately, she never got to put it into action. It wasn't too long after Tristan's final hour of sleep had begun that he woke up on his own.  
  
"Feeling better, bloodless wonder?" asked Rory as she noticed him sitting up.  
  
Tristan stretched. "Yep. Do you mind if I quickly have something to eat? Then I should be totally okay."  
  
"If you kind find it, you can eat it." Rory smiled.  
  
Tristan returned the smile then padded off toward the kitchen. He returned a minute later with two of Rory's beloved Pop Tarts in his hand. For some reason a pop tart sounded really good to Rory right then. "Are there anymore in there?"  
  
"Yep." Tristan took a shiny Pop Tart package out of the back pocket of his jeans. "I thought ahead." He smiled, still somewhat sleepily.  
  
Rory returned the smile and then smiled down at her pop tarts. Then she realized that the stress demons had receded in their constant screaming. She had to be tired. "Do you want some coffee?"  
  
"Okay." Tristan said as he sat down on the floor preparing to work. Rory headed to the kitchen to prepare the drink of the gods.  
  
~  
  
Rory probably should have stopped at two cups of coffee. Because three had brought the stress demons back up to the screaming level they so enjoyed. There's nothing quite as discouraging as realizing exactly how much work you still have to do on a project you've already done a tremendous amount of work on.  
  
"…We needed to plan better. How could I possibly think our scheduling could be good enough, when it was done quickly to ensure there would be time to watch a stupid Superman movie."  
  
Tristan had been quietly listening to Rory's tirade/babble as he cut off some of the soldier's heads for the 8th and 9th levels of Hell. But after all the comments she had given, Rory couldn't help but find it amusing that it was her one comment about Superman that caused him to protest. "Superman is not stupid. He is great. If you weren't upset about all of the work we still have to do and if you weren't on a caffeine high, you would be able to discern that.  
  
Rory briefly attempted sigh therapy. It actually seemed to work. She was calmer. Tristan was right. She had no right to insult Superman. And she told Tristan so. He had nodded and cut off the next poor pink soldier's head off. Which flew across the room, bounced off several objects and finally rolled into the kitchen. Both teens sat shocked for several seconds. Then Rory gave an accusing look to Tristan. "Do you see what kind of an effect you have on people?"  
  
~  
  
Progress had been made. The still weren't done. But there was most definitely less work to be done. Rory felt good. Her stress demons were pacified for the time being. This caused a very good feeling. Right now she and Tristan were straightening up the living room a little. This wasn't so much because they wanted it to be neat, but more so because they both agreed that it would be a good thing if people could do such things as sit in the room without in someway disturbing Hell/The Worst Day Care Ever.  
  
"Okay, your mission, you have no choice but to accept it, is to get gray paint. Do whatever it takes." Rory nodded at Tristan as she threw several pillows on to the couch.  
  
"That's no fair."  
  
"What?" Rory had no idea what he was talking about.  
  
"Why don't you get a mission?"  
  
"I have a mission."  
  
"And what is your mission?" Tristan moved to stand in front of Rory.  
  
"To find the label maker."  
  
Tristan glanced around the cluttered room. "Did you have a choice in accepting your mission?"  
  
"Not so much."  
  
"I think yours is impossible. So, I'll give you a choice. Do you want me to buy a label maker?"  
  
Rory glanced around the room. "No. I think I can handle my mission."  
  
"Hmmm." Tristan didn't seem to believe her.  
  
"You don't think I can find it do you?" Tristan shook his head no. "Good. Then you'll be more impressed when I do find it." She smiled.  
  
"Rory, you don't need to impress me." That comment froze Rory up. She didn't know why. It just did. And before she knew it, Tristan was gone for the night with a last comment of "I'll be here early tomorrow so we can get as much work done as humanly possible before going to your grandparents' house."  
  
Rory wasn't really listening. She was too busy analyzing herself. What was with her freezing up or running away when Tristan said certain things to her? She had similar problems when she had first started dating Dean. Lorelei had said it would just take experience and practice to get over her problem. Rory didn't want practice. She wanted to be able to tell Tristan how she felt and she wanted him to return those feelings. Rory allowed one sigh to escape. She'd just have to see what tomorrow would bring.  
  
~  
  
More to come, hopefully, within the week. 


	8. Assertiveness, Doubts, Confessions, and ...

Assertiveness, Doubts, Confessions, and Grandparents, Oh my!  
  
(Look! Look! I actually remembered to put the title for once! I'm proud of myself.)  
  
Hello. Sorry it took me so unbelievably long to get this up…I feel bad. Life happened. That's my only excuse. Well, laziness happened too, but that's always happening. Oh, I think senioritis is setting in. That counts for a whole lot. But if it helps, I'm probably going to fail about 3 tests now, because instead of studying, I'm going to write my story. Who really needs to know about the American Government anyway? : ) Plus this part is really long. That's got to be worth a couple points. (Not there are actually any points involved her. I've just been trained too well as a student)  
  
Thanks to all of you who have been patient with me (Especially the wonderful, fabulous, terrific, best-est editor ever: Nicole! AKA my good friend)  
  
It's worth noting that with my laziness towards academics, there's also been laziness towards implementing my whole plan of taking over the WB. So yeah, that's my nice way of saying I still own a lack of anything. (Meaning nothing) No more of my mindless babbling, on to the mindless babbling of me attempting to write a story!  
  
  
  
  
  
~  
  
  
  
  
  
Rory slowly came into consciousness. Her first coherent thought of the day was to remind herself that today was the day she would tell Tristan how she felt about him. This thought made her very proud, it reflected her dedication to her new assertiveness towards guys (namely Tristan) and if that went well, possibly her new assertiveness towards life. It goes without saying that the thought also made her quite terrified.  
  
Now to put the assertiveness into action. That thought definitely caused her stomach to pluck a nervous string inside of her. With the string plucking came a pang, and with the pang came doubts, stupid, irritating, relentless, whispering doubts. Doubts that took the time to remind her that she hadn't actually been assertive yet. So far there was only a promise to be. There's not too much to be proud of there…any random idiot can make a promise. "You could screw it all up. Make Tristan hate you. Not get into Harvard…." The doubts whispered. Rather than logically argue with the irrational doubts, Rory let out a strangled noise that sounded something like "Gahh!" and hid her head under her sheets. This was her valiant attempt to hide from the doubts. (The being assertive thing was most definitely a work in progress) Apparently, sheets aren't a good defense against doubts, because the now stupid and useless sheet did nothing to stop the doubts from entering Rory's head. "You'll screw up…say the wrong thing, say nothing at all, mislead him…not get in to Harvard…." The doubts didn't really say this. Despite some people's opinions, Rory is not insane. The only person in her head was her. But, decidedly, doubts are demons, mayhap even distant cousins to the stress demons, but somehow even more abundant and intrusive. They could take possession of a person and force them to obsess over, more or less, the last thing they wanted to think about. For example, Harvard. Where did that doubt come from? Although very important, as something she was constantly striving towards, getting into Harvard was not Rory's current focus. But, supposedly, she could think of it as a good thing that the doubts kept it in the forefront of her mind. It's strange, but doubts can sometimes be motivators as well as stomach turning, bone freezing, blood chilling, nuisances.  
  
Rory abandoned her sheet defense. Maybe water would work. She was willing to try any inanimate object available. Rory left the warmth of her bed for the warmth of her shower. She managed to be only slightly surprised by the doubts partial release of her mind. Sure they were still there, but the warm, massaging water had reduced them to a mere hum in the back of Rory's mind. Rory safely assumed that the doubts were no longer capable of forming coherent thoughts. In fact, they were perfectly ignorable. Behold the power of water. (Very much different from the power of cheese. Neither of which is as strong as the power of coffee.) Motivation and hope now had room to spread their legs in Rory's head. She could now access the memory of her late night talk with Lorelei that the stupid doubts had somehow managed to block her from. Lorelei supported more assertive action. Her mom was behind her.  
  
After all, Rory was no longer a new comer/complete idiot when it came to boys and love, as she had been with Dean. Now, she should be more knowledgeable and confident…not that she had to know everything, because that was completely not possible. 'Oh no! Was that a doubt? Are they regaining strength already?' No, Rory decided, knowing that one does not know everything is realistic.  
  
Rory concentrated on the job of dressing, so she couldn't concentrate too much on the line of thoughts that marched through her head, which could very well lead to insanity.  
  
Upon being fully clad, t-shirt and jeans wise, Rory called Lane. As usual, it was Mrs. Kim who picked up on the line.  
  
"Hello Mrs. Kim, this is Rory. May I please speak with Lane? I'll only take a few moments of her time." Rory used her most polite voice. It was a very steep uphill battle, but Rory wanted Mrs. Kim to like her.  
  
Rory listened as her best friend's mother sighed at the Kim home. She couldn't help but think the sigh was caused by a lack of excuses that Mrs. Kim could think of to postpone any conversation between her daughter and the "bad influence" that was Rory Gilmore.  
  
"You call to early for social call. You should have been taught better, but I get Lane. I'll time you. 5 minutes."  
  
Rory couldn't help but smile at the comments that were, definitely, things only Mrs. Kim would say.  
  
Within a minute, Lane came on the line. "Hey, what's up?"  
  
"I was just wondering if you could join me for breakfast at Luke's? I have no food here."  
  
"Certainly." Came Lane's chipper reply.  
  
"Great." Rory smiled. "See you in about five minutes." Rory couldn't help but wonder if she'd get points with Mrs. Kim for that conversation taking less than the prearranged five minutes. For some reason Rory doubted it.  
  
  
  
~  
  
  
  
The ever-present bell did its usual ringing thing as Rory entered Luke's.  
  
Lorelei must have been getting a late start, because she was still talking to Luke with a great deal of animation. In fact, there was so much animation, Rory couldn't help but think their conversation could really be classified as a debate or possibly even an argument. Rory's guess was that the dispute somehow involved coffee and whether or not Lorelei should drink anymore of it.  
  
Rory took a seat at the counter, next to her mom. Lorelei managed to turn her attention away from Luke, "Hey, you're up early considering it's spring break."  
  
"It's not so early. You're just late."  
  
Rory's statement seemed to confuse Lorelei for a second. Her forehead did the furrow thing. Then she looked at her watch. "Eeee!"  
  
Faintly, Rory heard the dutiful diner bell "ding" yet again and Lane was suddenly at her side. "Hey." Rory smiled in no way perturbed by her friend's relatively silent approach. Well, completely silent, except for the "ding" of course.  
  
"Hi. Hi Lorelei." Lane said leaning forward over the counter to see Lorelei around Rory.  
  
"Hey Kiddo." Lorelei commented dismissively as she jumped off her stool and headed for the door. "Bye kiddos, and Luke."  
  
"Bye." Rory and Lane said in unison.  
  
Lane turned to Rory from watching Lorelei leave. "I hope it wasn't me." Lane said with the sound of humor in her voice.  
  
"Oh no, she's running late." Rory reassured her friend at Lorelei abrupt departure. Both girls turned to Luke. "We'll have the usual." Rory made sure to include a smile. 'The usual' included coffee. Rory wanted avoid a discussion/argument over the issue of how coffee would kill her and just go straight to the part that followed the discussion/argument. Namely, the enjoying the coffee part.  
  
Surprisingly, Luke decided not to fight over the coffee issue. Rory had to believe he was tired of fighting about coffee, because she had concluded that coffee was most definitely what his heated discussion/debate/argument had been about with Lorelei.  
  
With their order made, the girls moved to a table.  
  
Lane took a deep breath; Rory couldn't help but think her friend was about to tell her some tragic horror that had scarred Lane's mind forever. Rory guessed it involved Mrs. Kim.  
  
"So, I asked my parents about dinner Saturday…." Rory had been right. She avoided expressing her happiness at being right on her face. She didn't think Lane wanted to hear that her mother caused tragic horror scars. Although, Lane would probably agree.  
  
"How did it go?" Rory took a piece of her blueberry muffin that had just been delivered and popped it into her mouth.  
  
"Actually, not too bad." Lane took a piece of her own muffin. "I mean, considering, the first thing I said was 'he's Korean.'" Lane picked at her muffin to the point where it collapsed to pieces on the small plate.  
  
"Well, that's good then, right?"  
  
"Yeah." Lane gave a half smile. "I hope you and Tristan like Korean food, because that's all that's going to be made for the meal. I think my mom may actually try to quiz Henry on all the Korean dishes' names." At Rory's lack of comment to the Korean dish quiz, Lane examined her friend, but must not have been able to completely read her, because she had to ask the question "What?" in the hopes that it would somehow lead to deciphering Rory's mind.  
  
Rory knew that at the mention of Tristan's name, she had done a weird, little, nervous, "glance around the room" thing. Her new assertive self had just been brought to the front of her mind again.  
  
"What?" Lane was forced to ask again as Rory still wasn't big on the answering part of the conversation.  
  
Rory shook her head to get out the assertive thoughts and the nervousness that came with them. "Nothing. We're talking about you." Rory contributed, finally getting the whole answer-when-people-ask-you-a- question method of conversation.  
  
Lane blinked at Rory, clearly wanting to know what was going on in her best friend's head. "Maybe I don't want to talk about me. Maybe I'd like to forget about the fact that my mom will be meeting Henry tomorrow, possibly ending my life, or Henry's life, or all existence on the world as we know it…I can't help but think my mom would somehow be the only person to survive the encounter."  
  
It was Rory's turn to blink now, and she didn't hesitate to take her turn. That done, she leaned forward ready to talk in tones often used for conspiracies or used when a girl was about to tell her best friend a really big secret. "Okay, so I made a decision."  
  
Lane must have picked up on the importance of the decision because she leaned forward to hear her friend better, while quickly questioning, "What? What? What?"  
  
"I am going to be more assertive." Rory whispered, while glancing around to make sure no one was paying too close attention to them. God forbid the whole town discover she was going to try to start a relationship with Tristan Dugray.  
  
Yet again, it was Lane's turn to blink. She used her chance well. Then she resorted to looking confused. "With what?"  
  
"With Tristan." Rory answered, hiding her slight surprise that Lane had not automatically known what she had been talking about.  
  
"Ohhh." Lane nodded her head with what had to be partial understanding.  
  
Rory sighed, realizing she'd have to explain her logic. And she did so in continued use of conspiracy-like tones. "You see, with Dean, for the most part, I always waited to act until it was almost too late. Now, I'm not going to wait. I am going to tell Tristan that I like him and that I'd like to pursue a relationship with him." Rory nodded with pride at her own explanation.  
  
Lane, in classic Lane style seemed excited for her best-friend and gave the comment of "Oh my God!" in an even more classic cheerleader like squeak. Had they been standing, Rory was sure Lane would have jumped up and down a couple of times. Lane seemed to calm. Rory couldn't actually read Lane's new expression, which was a rare situation. "Are you going to actually use the word 'pursue'?" Lane inquired with slight worry in her voice.  
  
"I don't know." Rory leaned back a little. "Why? What word do you think I should use?" Rory was suddenly feeling very uncertain again. But, she wasn't about to let the evil doubts take hold of her.  
  
Lane shrugged, leaning back also. Apparently the conspiracy meeting was over. "I don't know. You're good with words, you'll know what to say." Lane's expression changed from its previous indefinable look to a definite happy smile. "So, when are you going to talk to him?" Lane whispered excitedly.  
  
Rory leaned even further back until she was more or less sitting normally in her seat. She hadn't actually thought that far yet. She was still at the keep-the-doubts-at-bay stage. "I don't know." She looked down at what was remaining of her muffin and she ate a piece.  
  
Lane was concentrating on Rory's face. Lane's smile suddenly because more than slightly mischievous; slightly scaring Rory. "Could you ask him at my house?"  
  
"What? Why?" An idea hit Rory, "You didn't get caught watching VIP again, did you? I don't think Tristan and I could possibly be as entertaining as Pamela Anderson. And frankly I don't want to be as interesting as Pamela Anderson…does she still have 'Lee' as part of her last name?"  
  
Lane shrugged, "No, it's just my mom might get distracted by your and Tristan's impending relationship, she might forget about mine and Henry's."  
  
Rory sighed and glanced at Lane's hopeful face. Yep, she had to say it, "Lane, I'm not even sure if the world ending would distract you mom from interrogating Henry."  
  
Lane looked like she didn't want to think about that. She suddenly looked hopeful again, "Would her catching me watching VIP right before Henry came over qualify as the world ending?"  
  
Rory really didn't know how to answer that, but she doubted under any circumstance that Lane watching VIP would help any situation.  
  
  
  
~  
  
  
  
Rory was reading. Well, not really. Her book was open, that should surely count for something, but her eyes most certainly weren't on the page. Her eyes, in fact, were staring blankly across the Gilmore living room. One guess as to what she was thinking about. Come on! Try and guess!  
  
Lorelei supported the idea of assertiveness. There had been a long, long, LONG late night discussion about the situation last night/this morning after Lorelei had come home. So, now all Rory had to do was figure out how to be more assertive. Because that would be really easy to do. Rory, when working, usually hated to save the worst most difficult task for last, which somehow managed to make this decision a little bit harder. She sighed. (Not yet to the point of actually using sigh therapy) In usual Rory style, she decided using the spoken word would be the best course of action to admit her feelings to Tristan. If that didn't work, say, if she magically lost her voice after saying something like "Tristan, there's something really important I have to tell you" or if she just started babbling, not too unusual for her, Rory would resort to a tactic she would not normally embrace. That tactic would be to kiss Tristan. Not that that tactic was such a resort…or a bad thing. It was actually a very good thing. Very very VERY good thing.  
  
After all, she had kissed Tristan before…twice. First at Madeline's party sophomore year, okay, so she had run out of the room crying which had to send mixed signals, but she had just broken up with Dean. That was definitely worth a good cry.  
  
The second kiss had just been at the last New Year. Okay, okay, so she had only kissed him on the cheek. But it still had to count for something!  
  
And if the whole kissing tactic ran amuck somehow, she would write a letter. (Yeah! She had a plan!)  
  
Rory was pulled out of her thoughts by the sound of the front door opening and closing. Her initial thought was that her mom had come home for who knows what reason. But when Tristan appeared into view, she quickly realized that her mom wasn't home for any reason. "So, you don't even knock anymore?"  
  
"Nope." Tristan did a partial shrug thing as he leaned over to set a bag of supplies down by the couch.  
  
Rory wasn't about to let the whole walking-into-her-house thing go yet. "What if I had been changing?"  
  
"Then I'd be a lucky man. Besides, Mary, you don't strike me as the type to change clothes in the middle of your living room. You're the kind that would stay in your room." Tristan smiled. He was obviously trying to get to her. Rory had to assume it was one of his favorite games. It had to be, considering how often he played it.  
  
Naturally, Rory wouldn't allow Tristan to actually have the knowledge that his exasperating little comments got to her, so she looked down at her yellow watch. "Wow! You're here early."  
  
Tristan ventured slightly further into the living room, to the point when he sat down on the couch beside Rory. "Mary, Mary, Mary, you wound me. I said I would be early. You should know by now that I would never break a promise to you."  
  
Rory rolled her eyes and got up from the couch while setting her book aside on the cluttered coffee table. She then proceeded to stretch. It was amazing how time flew when you were staring blankly thinking with a book open on your lap.  
  
"Be proud. I completed my mission impossible." Tristan stated looking up to Rory.  
  
Rory's brow furrowed in confusion. "Huh?" She had no idea what he was talking about. "Ohhh!" The memory hit. Tristan was to quest for gray paint and she was supposed to find the elusive label maker.  
  
"I'm surprised at you, Mary. Frankly, I expected better from you." Tristan crossed his arms from his sitting position, barely able to contain his smug smile.  
  
"Shut up." Rory decided to try and cover her incident of forgetting. "It's not like we'll need the label maker today. The gray paint however, now that was way over due."  
  
Tristan shook his head. The stupid smug smile was still present on his face. "I will not listen to anymore of your pathetic excuses Rory Gilmore."  
  
Rory couldn't stop her eyes from rolling again.  
  
Tristan's smile became more sincere. "You'll have to work extra hard to gain my confidence and love back."  
  
A string pulled at Rory's heart. Did he just say love? She shook her head. He was joking. Assertive Rory wasn't ready to rear her-well, not ugly, we'll say-pretty head yet. So, she decided to joke back. "Oh Tristan, we both know your love for me is too great to ever be lost." With that said, Rory smiled at a sober looking Tristan and began working on Hell. Tristan soon joined her.  
  
  
  
~  
  
  
  
They had been working for hours. The once organized system of creation that had managed to exist for the first several days was completely abandoned for a far more chaotic approach. Basically, anything that needed to be painted, glued, built, or done was completed in no particular order. Often before completing one aspect of Hell, the constructors became distracted and began working on another part of the elaborate very bad daycare only to come back to the original incomplete aspect minutes to hours later. There had been only 2 food breaks and little talking. Rory was still working out the whole "when and how to be assertive" approach to life. So far no time had seemed like the time to turn over her new leaf in life. Plus, Lorelei would be home soon, and then Rory would have to commit herself to the whole getting ready to go to dinner process. It was an extensive process that usually involved panty hose and high heels and dragging Lorelei out the front door. Yes, it was a very long and arduous task. Hopefully with Tristan's presence, it would be made slightly easier. Not that he could help with the panty hose or heels…but, if necessary, he looked strong enough to make Lorelei let go of the doorframe.  
  
So, now wasn't looking like the best time to talk to Tristan either. (That was the point her mind had been trying to make)  
  
Whoa! Wait. Was she backing out? She was backing out of being assertive and confessing her true feelings to Tristan. Those sneaky doubts, they had been quiet, obviously too quiet. She wouldn't let them get the best of her. She would confess. Later. As in, not now. Maybe tomorrow. Let's go back to the 'now just doesn't seem like the time' decision. Certainly in the car and in front of Lorelei wouldn't be the time, and the mere thought of confessing her feelings of liking, and possibly loving, Tristan in front of her grandparents caused Rory to have to stifle a laugh. Rory shook her head forcing away the thoughts and she moved slightly closer to Tristan until their shoulders were touching, so she could join him in his work on the deceit part of the Worst Daycare Ever. "Greenland's done."  
  
"What?" Tristan looked at Rory with more than just a slightly confused expression on his face.  
  
"You know the last level. With ice, and coldness, Lucifer's there, chomping on heads for all eternity. Remember? Dante wrote all about it."  
  
"Right. I remember reading Dante, but I can't seem to recollect him ever using the word 'Greenland' in any relation to the Inferno."  
  
Rory pretended to get defensive. "There's nothing wrong with my geographical reference. Greenland is cold. The Vikings knew this."  
  
Tristan was shaking his head; Rory assumed he was trying not to laugh at her. Rather unsuccessfully. Rory continued to work, ignoring Tristan's snickering, hoping he would follow her example and resume his work. He did, but he took his time.  
  
So, work continued, the teens kneeled shoulder to shoulder. Rory could feel every time Tristan moved his arm more than an inch, his shoulder would gently bump into hers. Behold the price one pays for hard work on a spring day. A comfortable silence had taken hold of the living room, but it didn't last for too long.  
  
"What level of Hell do you think you would be on?" Tristan's sudden, and very unusual, question surprised Rory enough to stop her work.  
  
"What?"  
  
Rory watched as Tristan pursed his lips for a moment. She assumed he was trying to think of the best way to explain his abrupt, deep, and weird question. "If you were to attend this daycare, which floor would the attendant decide you belonged on?"  
  
Rory's mind was struggling to discover where Tristan was going with this. "I don't know." Rory examined Tristan. He was being weird; his eyes weren't focusing in one place for more than several seconds, if even that long. He was also fidgeting. For lack of a better term, he was behaving in a very un-Tristan-like fashion. "Ummm." Rory tried to think. She somehow had to lighten the mood that Tristan had suddenly set. Never say Rory doesn't accept challenges. She wasn't entirely sure asking 'Are you on drugs?' would get the lightening job done, or even be polite for that matter. So Rory chose to take another course of action. "I'd actually only hope that my mom would be kind enough not to send me to Hell." Rory paused. "Oh wait! I go to Chilton."  
  
Rory watched Tristan closely, trying to decipher if he had gotten her half- truth/half-joke. Tristan didn't seem to really hear what she had said, which was a shame; because she had thought her comment had been pretty funny. Tristan's eyes were still roaming around the room, looking for some yet undetermined spot to focus on.  
  
"I know what level of Hell I'd be on." Tristan stated, finally deciding to focus his eyes on Rory.  
  
Rory was shocked by the emotion that had overtaken his gaze. "Ummm, I'd say congratulations, but I can't help but think 'I'm sorry' would some how be more appropriate." Rory was still trying to grasp where this was going. Her eyes were now the ones to remain continuously moving around the room.  
  
"Do you want to know what floor of our daycare I'd be on?" Tristan's eyes didn't waver from Rory's face. Rory managed to register this as her eyes quickly fluttered from one spot behind Tristan to the left, to another spot behind Tristan to the right.  
  
"Something tells me you're going to tell me no matter how I respond to that question." Rory could identify the note of worry in her voice. Which was in all actuality rather surprising, because if her voice were truly to reflect her emotions, it would have been completely panicked.  
  
"I'd be on the level where the deceitful go. Do you want to know why, Rory?" Tristan's eyes were still very much unnerving as they focused on Rory.  
  
Rory's reply could easily be considered as a part of the weak, scared, whisper category. "See, the something I mentioned was right." That same something was also telling Rory she was about to discover why Tristan felt he deserved to be punished with the deceitful for all eternity whether or not she wanted to hear the reason. Her eyes continued to roam around the living room. Rory supposed they were looking for something that would somehow save her from whatever was about to happen.  
  
Tristan turned to face Rory and inched forward until his knees were almost touching Rory's. He didn't really have far to move. His eyes never left Rory's. Rory's view was now entirely dominated by Tristan. (Not a bad view) But, she had no place to look but into his striking eyes. With Rory's attention thoroughly captured, Tristan began to speak again.  
  
"I've committed fraud, Rory. I pretended to want to be your friend. Which is great, because being anything to you makes me better, but I want more. I want to mean as much to you, as you mean to me. But I don't know if that's possible. Every time I think of you, I feel a little lighter. And that, no matter the situation, makes everything okay, because I'll eventually see your face and a calm overtakes me. You are the sweetest thing I have ever known. I knew that when you kissed me at the New Year. I knew it before the end of sophomore year. You were one of my main reasons for wanting to come back to Connecticut. And that scares me, Rory. No one has ever had that power over me. And the thought that I could mean nothing to you kills me inside. I'm not your friend. I'm sorry for all the times I picked on you. I'm sorry I tried to gain your love just to prove I could. Now I find appreciation in the fact that you're not so easily swayed. But it also hurts me, because I know you could never trust me or love me because of my stupid games. You have to understand this, now, has nothing to do with proving anything. I love you, Rory. Trust me, I fought believing it myself. But, I can't hide it anymore. I think I could find some type of happiness if you just acknowledged my love and didn't regard me as complete scum. Being your friend is one of the best things I've had in a very long time. But it also kills me. Because I'm hiding the fact that I want much more. I want you to think of me and smile, to look at me with love. I can't pretend anymore, I can't take anymore false hopes from you. Love me as I love you, or send me away." Tristan's posture seemed to relax slightly after speaking. Then, it tensed again as he listened for Rory's response.  
  
Rory was in shock. She stared blankly. Her brain wasn't digesting what Tristan had said. For the first time just about ever, Rory knew her brain had some how managed to turn completely off. Fraud? Power…over Tristan? Love? Slowly her mind began to work again. 'Say something.' It whispered. 'You've been staring blankly for too long.' Her brain was almost back up to one half its usual comprehensive state. 'If you can't say something at least kiss him. That will get the message across. You're supposed to be more assertive. Staring blankly in no way falls under the definition of being assertive.' Her brain was at 70% functioning. 'Come on Rory, Assertive! This isn't living up to your decision! Talk! Kiss him!' Rory was beginning to regain some of her motor control back from the still empowered shock that had overtaken her. She knew this because her mouth opened and closed several times.  
  
"Tristan, thanks." Rory paused. That was an okay start. Now she had to say something else…something better. "I don't think you belong on the 8th level of Hell." Ohhh my God! That was not the best thing she had to say. She did not just say Tristan didn't belong on one 2nd lowest level of Hell. She was wrong; her brain had to be operating at approximately 2% for that to be her response to Tristan's words.  
  
Tristan remained silent. But, he did manage to back away, so he was distanced from her. Where was assertive Rory? She was needed right now. 'Say you want to be more than friends too. Say you forgave all the teasing long ago. Say you love him.' Apparently Assertive Rory was still inside a prison of shell-shocked Rory's head. There was no way for Assertive Rory to be freed to speak or act.  
  
Shell-shocked Rory opened her mouth ready to attempt to regurgitate all that Assertive Rory had said with in the confines of her prison. She, all of her, somehow had to make all of this right. Make everything the way it should be. She had to not hurt Tristan. But, unfortunately, the front door opened at the exact same time that Assertive Rory was finally going to express herself, thus she was forced back into her prison. Unable to speak.  
  
"Hey guys. Sorry I'm running late. I'll change super fast." Lorelei didn't even take a complete breath, but did manage to add as she charged up the stairs. "Rory change or we'll be late. For once I'd like to not have Emily be able to yell at us about our tendency to be tardy." With that Lorelei closed her bedroom door.  
  
Rory glanced at Tristan. His arms were crossed and he was staring at a spot on the floor as far away from Rory as possible. He didn't look like he wanted to listen to anything Rory had to say right now. So, Rory closed her mouth, stood, and went to change her clothes in her room. All the while promising herself she wouldn't cry. Not now anyway.  
  
  
  
~  
  
  
  
The Jeep was silent. Both Tristan and Rory were on their respective sides of the backseat. Rory would occasionally take her eyes away from her window to glance at Tristan looking out his window.  
  
Lorelei had stopped trying to make conversation about 5 minutes into the ride to Hartford. She had then stopped having a conversation with herself 15 minutes after that. Rory watched as her mom now divided her time between watching the road, glancing at Tristan, and giving questioning looks to Rory. After spending her entire life with Lorelei, Rory could easily translate what each questioning look meant. She also knew the facial expressions necessary to answer, but she really didn't feel like making faces right now. So Rory returned to her cycle of looking out the window and glancing at Tristan. Until the small Jeep arrived at the elder Gilmores' mansion.  
  
They silently exited the car. Surprisingly, Lorelei practically ran to ring the door bell. Rory guessed her mom couldn't take anymore of the uncomfortable tense silence that was the only thing Tristan and Rory could offer right now.  
  
As the sullen teens joined Lorelei by the front door, Rory's mother made one last attempt at lightening the mood. "So, okay you two, smile. I hope you kids are prepared for World War VI. Or, wait, Rory, will Emily and my next little dispute be World War VII? I can never keep track."  
  
Rory opened her mouth hoping that some at least slightly witty comment would come out. But her brain was still below its normal functioning level. Tristan loved her? Did she love Tristan? She definitely needed coffee and probably to talk to Tristan. Neither was possible right now, but at least she was saved from having to give a witty comment that she couldn't think of. Emily Gilmore had opened the front door. Doors opening seemed to be interrupting Rory a lot today. Okay, so twice. But the first time had been at a really pivotal moment in her young life.  
  
"Hello." Emily briefly examined the 3 people before her. Rory was sure none of them looked very happy. Rory and Tristan were upset for previously disclosed reasons; Lorelei was upset because she had just spent the past half hour with Tristan and Rory in close quarters.  
  
"Come in, Come in." Emily had obviously picked up enough information from their faces to not comment on the travelers moods or on the fact that they had managed to arrive 10 minutes late. Let the dinner begin.  
  
  
  
~  
  
  
  
So far no world wars have broken out. For that Rory felt that all of the current occupants of the Gilmore dining room were owed congratulations. Abnormally, Lorelei and Emily were handling each other's company well. It was the tension between Rory and Tristan that was almost palpable. Even Richard, thus far, had put off interrogating Tristan about his plans for after Chilton. He had earlier, however, to Rory's slight interest, looked Tristan up and down several times, as if wondering if he could beat Tristan in hand-to-hand combat if the situation was called for.  
  
Rory risked peeling her eyes from her food filled plate to glance at Tristan. He was sitting next to her, or more so, as far away as he could possibly get from her and still be considered to be sitting at the table. He seemed to be concentrating on his plate, much as Rory had been. If he didn't have to look up from his plate neither did she. Rory returned to her previous position of staring at her plate.  
  
She couldn't believe this, she, Rory Gilmore, was a non-practicing assertive person. How very upsetting. But not nearly as upsetting as the fact that she had single handedly royally screwed things up with Tristan. How could she make this better? Certainly staring at her plate listening to her fork scrape across it as she pushed around some indiscernible fancy meat wasn't helping. But she could try. Go indiscernible meat! Go! Leave that gravy trail!  
  
In the corner of her eye, Rory saw Emily shift in her chair, obviously uncomfortable in the silent room. (Well, not completely silent, there was Rory's fork scraping, of course. Can't forget the fork scraping.) Rory knew the almost silence wouldn't last much longer. Emily Gilmore was too uncomfortable to allow that.  
  
"So, Tristan, Rory mentioned last week that you and she are working on a school project, how is that going?"  
  
At his name, Tristan had miraculously looked up from his plate. But, of course, he still managed to avoid looking at Rory. "Okay." With that said, his head was back down. Evidently, Tristan was not in a talking mood.  
  
Emily looked desperate. Her expression and the resuming of her shifting in her seat clearly expressed that she needed conversation and she needed it now. Although it occurred often in the Gilmore family, awkward silences were still very much awkward. (Hence their name) Rory could tell the very instant Emily crossed the line between desperate and VERY desperate, because Emily turned to Lorelei for assistance in the conversation starting effort.  
  
"Lorelei, as a third party and observer to this project of theirs, how does it seem to be going?"  
  
"Ummm, I'd say well." Lorelei seemed slightly surprised to be addressed, but she recovered well. "Tristan and Rory, they've put a lot of effort into this. They just need to do a little more work and it will all come together."  
  
Lorelei smiled while trying to make eye contact with her daughter. It was Tristan who's attention she had gotten a hold of though. His head jerked up from it's down position rather suddenly.  
  
"We should be done tomorrow. The you won't have to worry about me being in your hair anymore." With that said, Tristan's head immediately turned back down to his plate, almost as though he was some kind of robot whose off switch had just been hit.  
  
Now Rory squirmed in her seat and took her turn to look up. She couldn't take it anymore. After the long silent treatment that had caused her to get a general idea as to what Dante's Inferno was really like, Rory's assertive self had something to say (about damn time!) And she didn't care who listened as long as Tristan was one of those listeners.  
  
As appropriate in all really good speeches, or just desperate attempts at them, Rory stood up, knocking over her chair in the process. (Not typically a part of the makings for excellent speechs)  
  
"No."  
  
Tristan amazingly looked at her for what had to be the first time in several hours now. Of course, he had a blank non-comprehending look on his face that was shared by everyone else at the table. Rory realized that perhaps it was necessary for her to elaborate on what she was saying 'no' to exactly.  
  
"Ummm, what I meant was, ummm, I enjoy having you in my hair." Wow! This from a member of the Chilton debate team. She had to be able to do better than that comment. If Paris were here, she'd never speak to Rory again. If only Paris were here….  
  
Rory shook her head. Focus! She could do this; she normally was a very intelligent person. Judging by the face Emily Gilmore was currently making, she might dispute the whole "Rory has intelligence" theory.  
  
If only now could be an appropriate time to use sigh therapy. Instead, Rory rocked back and forth on her heals for half a second.  
  
"And, what I mean by that is that I enjoy having you around Tristan, you're a good friend, probably my best friend at Chilton." Rory paused. Where was she going with this? Oh, yeah, she knew. "The point I'm trying to make is that I'm sorry I didn't really answer you earlier. You said a lot of things, a lot of really, really, great, things and I was shocked by your ability to actually say them. Because that is an ability I seem to lack. I've been struggling with a similar version to say myself, but couldn't get the words out." Rory nervously rocked back and forth again. Okay, this was getting a little better. Of course, everyone was still shocked and unmoving, which didn't help, but at least Rory was moving, talking, and being assertive. She just really needed to avoid making any more comments that involved things being in peoples' hair.  
  
"I meant it when I said you didn't belong in the Inferno, I forgave you for all the games a long time ago. Despite your opinion, I do trust you and I could –possibly do- love you. I already care for you an unbelievably great deal. And of course I want to be more than just your friend. You just surprised me when you asked."  
  
There. Now Rory could sigh. Of course, nobody else could even breathe yet. But the only non-breather Rory was concentrating on at the moment was Tristan.  
  
Finally, the mouth of Tristan's shocked face opened. "Thanks." Tristan closed his mouth again and proceeded to stare at Rory.  
  
Rory, somewhat quickly realized Tristan wasn't going to say anything more, picked up her chair, and promptly sat in it.  
  
'Thanks.' What does that mean? Okay, so she'd given that answer to Tristan earlier and if she recalled, to Dean once too. But still at least earlier she'd attached a lame attempt at a compliment to her stupid 'thanks.'  
  
Somehow this new awkward silence managed to be even more awkward than the one that had preceded it. And this time, no one tried to break the stupid thing's spell of discomfort.  
  
  
  
~  
  
  
  
The ride back to Star Hollow managed to be even more silent then the earlier ride away from the small town had been. Probably, it was because Lorelei didn't even try to make conversation this time. Rory safely assumed there'd be a nice long talk between them later that night. But, the person she really needed to speak with was Tristan. She wanted to discuss everything that had happened, about this non-assertive screwed up day and the embarrassingly assertive screwed up night.  
  
Rory risked what had to be her millionth glance at Tristan that night. He had resumed his perch of looking out the window from as far away from Rory as possible. At least now, his posture seemed less edgy and angry than it had the last time they had been in the Jeep. He looked…sullen. Tristan most definitely looked sullen with a bit of tired mixed in.  
  
Maybe they both just needed to rest. Possibly tomorrow would be a better start for their future relationship. Please let there be a future relationship, it didn't even have to start tomorrow, so long as there was one. Rory took the time to quickly cross her fingers and silently plead. But she still wanted to try and talk to him tonight. She needed to calmly talk to Tristan. Possibly end things on a somewhat good note, so she wouldn't be totally depressed all night. She just needed some little bit of hope right now.  
  
The jeep came to a stop by the younger Gilmore girls' house. Tristan was out of the car before the Jeep came to a complete stop. Rory was soon to follow him out.  
  
"Tristan."  
  
Tristan continued to walk quickly to his car. Obviously ignoring Rory, as she had practically yelled his name.  
  
"Tristan. We need to talk."  
  
Tristan must not have agreed about the whole needing to talk issue, because he quickly got in his stupid, shiny, silver, car and didn't even hesitate to start the engine.  
  
Rory stopped about 7 feet away from the car and closed her eyes so she would only have to hear Tristan drive away. She really didn't want to actually see it, which would be an image that would haunt her all night.  
  
Once she could no longer hear Tristan's sports car in the distance, Rory registered the sound of Lorelei walking towards her on the Gilmore lawn. Lorelei quickly engulfed her daughter in a comforting embrace.  
  
Rory melted into the arms of her mother and didn't hesitate to commence her long awaited crying.  
  
  
  
~  
  
  
  
Tres mal/muy mal!  
  
The conclusion of "Spring Break" is coming soon. (And when I say soon, I really mean it this time. Not even my tragic diagnosis of senioritis will stop me) so, hang in there TRORY fans! 


	9. Bedsheets, Bad Influences, and a Damn St...

I have returned to right/write (hee hee hee) all tragic wrongs in Gilmore Land. Which, by the way, I still do not own. Although, my evil plan to take over the show and bring Tristan back is still in the works. I'll have to do that when I'm done here, as this is the conclusion. That is after I pretend to do homework by staring blankly at old books for about an hour and then officially declare myself to know everything about the 17th century and the American Government.  
  
So, thanks again to everyone who reviewed and a very special thanks- again to Nicole. Without her, I'd be Gilmore and Tristan naive (God forbid!) and probably bored a lot more often.  
  
  
  
~  
  
  
  
She was hiding under her bed sheet again. However, it is important to know that this time the hiding was not caused by doubts. Nope, today she just wasn't ready to get up yet. It was light out, but right now, she couldn't see that. So, naturally, if she couldn't see the light, then it couldn't possibly be there. Thus it wasn't day, and thus she couldn't be awake to think about how screwed up things had managed to become with Tristan. Sometimes it feels really good to be logical.  
  
More or less, they had both admitted loving each other. Now in a perfect world, that would be enough. There would have been a happy ending with a possible riding off into the sunset although; Rory had no idea how riding off into the sunset could possibly be incorporated into her life. But, she was in a bad mood right now. She couldn't imagine incorporating many happy things into her-at the moment-depressing life.  
  
So, why hadn't her and Tristan started the relationship both of them seemed to have wanted? Well, that would have made too much sense. And you just can't have that. Things in the real world rarely made sense. Or at least they didn't if you were female, single, and had the last name of 'Gilmore.' Rory bit her lip. She would not cry.  
  
She was not the kind of girl to think a failed relationship or even a failed possible relationship was the end of the world. Plus, there was no way there could be any water left in her body after her extensive cry on Lorelei's shoulder last night.  
  
Rory began sigh therapy from the safety of her own bed. She had yet to know if the therapy, so far good for stress and to some degree doubts, had any ability to beat back tears. The ultimate test.  
  
"Hey Kiddo." The smell of coffee had entered the room. "I brought you something. You'll have to remove that sheet from your face to thoroughly enjoy it though. Rory could feel the bed mattress sink a little as Lorelei sat down beside her sheet-covered daughter.  
  
"Just pour it on the sheet, some of it should drip through to me."  
  
"Well, at least you have your sense of humor. That's a good sign right there." Lorelei stated hopefully.  
  
Because of that hope that had been present in her mom's voice, Rory restrained from telling her that she had been serious about the dripping through plan. Instead, Rory removed the sheet from her head and sat up to immediately reach for the coffee Lorelei's hand offered.  
  
"Thanks." Rory gave a partial smile, the closest she could give to the real thing in her present state.  
  
"No problem."  
  
Rory felt her mom watch her as she took a long life-giving sip of her coffee.  
  
"I'm proud of you."  
  
Rory was surprised by her mom's words. So surprised, in fact, she took a break from sipping her coffee.  
  
Lorelei brushed a strand of Rory's hair behind her ear. "It takes real courage to say what you said; especially when it's said in front of your grandparents. I mean, I could never do that.  
  
Rory partially rolled her eyes. "You told me that last night."  
  
"I know, but you were crying. Sometimes crying can impair your senses. I just want you to understand that this seemingly tragic situation is not completely horrible. You proved you're inconceivably brave."  
  
"Yeah, but where did it get me?" Rory took another deep gulp of coffee.  
  
"Just wait. We'll have to see. But, if I interpreted you correctly through the late night tears, I believe Tristan said he loved you yesterday afternoon. Now, I would like to put a disclaimer as you are hard to understand while you're hopelessly crying and it was after midnight that you informed me of the admitting of love occurrence, and sometimes my mind dies without coffee at that time-I'm off topic. Did I translate correctly?"  
  
Rory nodded by way of response to her mom's craziness.  
  
Tristan said he loved her among other things. She responded late and stupidly to his confession; admitting her feelings in front of her grandparents, to what had to be the embarrassment and anger of Tristan and probably, later when she thought about it more deeply, embarrassment to her as well.  
  
"Okay, the point I was somehow trying to get to is that the chances are very good that if Tristan meant any what he said, then he is still completely in love with you. He probably just needs to work out his emotions. Digest your little speech. After all, it did take you quite a bit of time to digest his."  
  
Lorelei wrapped her arms around her daughter in a supporting lose hug. Rory gave her mom a still-doubting look.  
  
Lorelei responded with a loving smile. "Besides, that whole night, while you kept giving Tristan little glances; he kept giving them back. It's really amazing you didn't catch each other looking." Lorelei looked skyward, as if visualizing Rory and Tristan taking turns to glance at each other. "It was almost like a really well thought out ballet, but just with your heads. I think even Emily and Richard were entranced by your little show."  
  
Rory couldn't grasp the 'entrancing part.' Now, in her mind, Tristan and her were prancing ballet dancers with oversized heads. It didn't work very well, unless of course, the spectator wanted a good laugh. Very embarrassing. Rory handed Lorelei the now empty coffee cup. She then moved to resume her hiding position under her bed sheet.  
  
Lorelei made a futile attempt to stop her. "Oh come on Rory, I'm just telling you that to prove he still likes you." Rory peeked her head up to show her eyes from under her cover. "In fact, I think there's still a good chance your whole relationship with Tristan thing might still happen. You'll just have to act quickly." Lorelei correctly interpreted Rory's partially sheet covered face to be one filled with doubt. Stupid doubts!  
  
Lorelei continued reaching to try to give her daughter another supportive hug. "I am confident that you will be able to fix this situation with Tristan." Rory moved the sheet down a little more so her nose was also visible. "In fact, I am so confident, I am currently battling myself over whether or not to give you the 'why-not-to-have-sex' speech."  
  
"Mom!" Rory was entirely under her sheet again. But, this time it was so Rory wouldn't have to see the evil-talking-about-sex Lorelei while hearing the same Lorelei actually talk about what she was battling over not to say.  
  
"Okay, okay. I get the message about how you don't want to hear about storks bringing babies. Which is a shame, because the storks are kind of cute to look at. I'll see you in the kitchen after you crawl out from under your sheet." Lorelei stood from Rory's bed. "I'm going now. But I better not see any baby carrying storks coming to our house until I'm at least 40."  
  
"Mom!" Rory's scream came out muffled due to the sheet blocking her mouth. She listened as Lorelei closed the door, leaving Rory alone with her thoughts of how storks weren't even an issue, and how there was no way they were going to be for a great LONG while.  
  
  
  
~  
  
  
  
So, Rory was feeling better. Lorelei had left to visit Sookie only when Rory managed to convince her mom of the feeling better factor. Lorelei was probably right anyway; Rory and Tristan could still work this out. Plus, Rory had taken a long relaxing shower. So, naturally, the world was looking a little better.  
  
She had decided to see how Tristan would behave when he came. Whether or not he wanted to immediately discuss their feelings for each other, would decide if she wanted to approach the subject forthright, or wait awhile. Rory nodded approval of her plan.  
  
Although, sigh therapy was still a necessity, as it often was these days. Sigh therapy had no problem finding a job, nope, Rory kept it in high demand. Tristan would be here soon. After all, they still had to finish the Inferno. God forbid, they handed in a Hell without labels. There could be public shunning at Chilton.  
  
Labels! Ohhh! She still hadn't found the damn label maker. In all of the crying and mother-daughter talking last night, Rory had forgotten to find the stupid thing. This situation slightly upset Rory; typically she wouldn't allow herself to forget school stuff like this. It was kind of scary that Tristan could have that effect on her. Of course, last night probably could best be considered an 'extenuating circumstance,' meaning, on the off chance her and Tristan did start a relationship; she wouldn't typically be so distracted she'd forget her work. After all, she did have to get into Harvard.  
  
Rory moved to her room to look for the newly re-titled 'damn stupid label maker.'  
  
Before Rory could get deep into the searching process for the damn stupid label maker, the doorbell rang, which naturally, Rory ran to answer.  
  
It was Tristan. So, he was back to ringing the doorbell. Rory tried to not let the sadness that that fact invoked get to her.  
  
Tristan gave what had to be a very difficult attempt at a smile. "Hey." Nope, that smile didn't look genuine at all. There was weirdness.  
  
"Hey." She was sure the smile she returned was just a fake. So the weirdness went both ways. Some tension residue could be expected. But they could work through this.  
  
In an attempt to break the tension, Rory decided to jump right in to the schoolwork. Make everything seem normal for a little while. Right now, if she were to use the phrase 'Tristan, we need to talk' his head might explode. Or possibly hers would.  
  
"Okay, so our project is pretty much done." Rory moved to the side, allowing Tristan to enter into the Gilmore house. "We just need to label everything. Which won't be too tough once we find the damn stupid label maker. So, I was thinking, I'll search my room, you take the living room and the Great Damn Stupid Label Maker Search can begin."  
  
"Okay." Wow! Tristan was just as talkative today as he had been last night, in the way that he was hardly talking at all.  
  
To avoid having to digest the hopefully not ever-present awkwardness, Rory quickly ran off to her room to begin her part of the search.  
  
After several minutes of silence, except for the occasional sound of an object clanging in sacrifice to the Great Damn Stupid Label Maker Search, Assertive Rory decided she couldn't take it anymore. The "talk" had to come. Rory didn't like things being awkward with Tristan. Apparently, assertiveness is similar to a virus, once you catch it, the thing will never go away.  
  
"Hey, Tristan?" Rory called.  
  
Silence. Then, after quite a long pause, "Yeah?" was asked from the living room.  
  
Rory sighed. Tristan seemed to have lost almost all of his verbal skills. Rory was probably going to have to carry the whole heartfelt conversation on her own. "I'm sorry about how screwed up things got last night. I'm sorry it took me so long to say what I needed to say. I was just shocked. But, when I did finally talk, I meant it."  
  
There was another long pause. Then finally came the understanding words "I know you did." Wow! 4 words. Maybe Rory was getting somewhere. Yep. There was definitely hope spreading throughout her chest. She moved to stand in the doorframe of her room. She found Tristan standing by the coach of the living room, already looking in her direction. There was an exchange of understanding looks. This could definitely work out.  
  
Suddenly, Lane entered via the front door. "Oh my God! Henry is going to be here any minute. You guys have got to come now." Exclaimed a more than slightly excited Lane.  
  
Here was yet another thing Rory had forgotten about; the Great Henry Meets Mrs. Kim event. Now that was impressive. Tristan had managed to cause Rory to forget about the possible end of the world.  
  
  
  
~  
  
  
  
"So, Henry, where you go to school?" Mrs. Kim had already begun the interrogation.  
  
"Chilton, with Rory and Tristan." Good boy, he wasn't even sweating yet. Henry nodded diagonally across the table at Rory, who was sitting beside Lane. Lane and Rory had decided before sitting that Lane and Henry should not sit next to each other, because on the off chance they would accidentally touch each other; Mrs. Kim would go psycho and kill them all; except Lane who would probably be sent to a Korean bible camp for the rest of her days. And, if Tristan and Rory were to sit next to each other, and they accidentally, or not so accidentally, touched, then Mrs. Kim would still go psycho, scream that Rory was a negative influence on Lane, and then kill them all, except Lane, who's presence would still be required at a Korean bible camp.  
  
Plus, although much of the tension seemed to have dissipated, Rory still wasn't entirely sure Tristan and she were ready to sit side by side again. However, every time they made eye contact they did exchange small smiles. Things were looking up.  
  
Oh, and another reason for the current seating chart was that Rory didn't feel like being a bad influence for once, and she certainly didn't want any of them to die, or for Lane to be shipped off to Korea again.  
  
Mrs. Kim's eyes were narrowed at Rory. "So, he go to your school. So you must have introduced them without my prior-approval."  
  
"What?" Rory had been busy exchanging another smile with Tristan.  
  
"What Rory means mom, is that Henry and I met at a party." Lane saved Rory, who was now trying to recall the conversation that had been going on around her.  
  
"Party! What party? When did you go to a party?" Mrs. Kim wasn't about to skim over any of the details.  
  
"It was a while ago. Rory took me."  
  
"So, she did introduce you then." Mrs. Kim's eyes were again narrowed at Rory and Rory got the distinct impression Tristan was trying not to laugh at her situation with Mrs. Kim.  
  
"If asked in a court of law, Mrs. Kim, I'd have to say that it was more my effort than Rory's to have me meet Lane."  
  
Mrs. Kim turned on Henry. "What that supposed to mean?" Then she was back on Rory. "Do you see what you introduce my Lane to? Cheeky boy. You bad influence on Lane."  
  
Rory could tell Tristan tried to take the laughter out of his voice when he said, "With all due respect Mrs. Kim, I don't think you should blame Rory for this. Henry and Lane obviously like each other. I mean, Lane was willing to bring Henry here and Henry was willing to come to meet you, that's saying something."  
  
Mrs. Kim looked back and forth between the 4 teens sitting at the table. Her eyes were, yet again, narrowed. "That's it. You two leave. You both bad influences. I want to finish dinner with just Lane and Henry." Several blank stares were directed at Mrs. Kim. "Go, go, leave. You 2 bad influences not allowed to stay."  
  
Tristan and Rory, disbelieving, slowly stood from the table. They then, each occasionally looking back sympathetically at their friends, left the Kim house.  
  
  
  
~  
  
  
  
Rory and Tristan entered the Gilmore house somewhere between laughing and feeling really bad for Lane and Henry.  
  
As the laughter subsided, Tristan had to comment, "Poor Henry."  
  
"Don't worry, Lane will protect him. It may not always seem like it, but she can kinda handle her mom." Rory smiled.  
  
"Yeah, especially now that the bad influence that is Rory Gilmore is removed."  
  
Rory smiled at Tristan's obviously sarcastic comment. This was good. The awkwardness seemed to be completely gone.  
  
"Okay. We have been granted time by God, Mrs. Kim, or some other really powerful and controlling creature to be able to search for the damn stupid label maker, let us take it."  
  
With that said Rory went up stairs to continue searching in Lorelei's room. Tristan continued in the mess that was the living room.  
  
Frankly, the lack of a label maker was beginning to drive Rory insane. She had been looking for the thing on and off all week to no avail. She had to find it or her sanity would suffer…not that it wasn't suffering already. Hell, sanity had been fighting a losing battle for quite some time now. But, unlike most battles this one was fun and there were no real casualties. (Always a plus)  
  
Rory listened as Tristan traveled up the stairs to stop in the doorframe of Lorelei's room. "Although, I enjoy looking at the semi- personal stuff that makes up your living room, Mary, for sanity's sake I'm going to have to give a final report of the label maker is not in the living room. I repeat, the label maker is not in the living room." Apparently Tristan was having some sanity battling issues of his own. She couldn't tell for sure as she gave Tristan a quick once over as he leaned against the doorframe with his hands shoved in his pants pockets.  
  
Rory gave a slight non-audible sigh. "It's not here either." Realization hit. "I remember now, I took the damn stupid label maker away from my mom so she'd stop putting name labels on all of the appliances."  
  
A twisted smile crossed Rory's face. She quickly headed back down stairs with a new energy and with Tristan following her closely.  
  
"There was only one place in this house where I could possibly hope to hide the damn stupid thing from her, and that place is my room."  
  
Upon entering her room, Rory began throwing everything around in her desperate search. Well, not everything, only things in which there was a reasonable expectation of them not breaking upon impact. Clothes, Rory was throwing clothes around her room.  
  
Tristan watched amused from the safety of Rory's bedroom door. "Ah, Rory?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Look."  
  
"I am."  
  
"If your referring to your violently throwing of clothes, that's not how I define the word 'look.' Although, if you felt like throwing me some of your underwear, my definition of 'look' could easily be extended."  
  
The last comment was just about the only thing that could have managed to stop Rory's rampage. And it did rather quickly and effectively. In fact, Rory was staring blankly at Tristan, while restraining herself from making the comment of, 'I'll throw you mine, if you throw me yours.'  
  
Tristan seemed oblivious to Rory's unusually less than chaste thoughts, which was probably a very good thing…from a certain point of view.  
  
Instead, from his somewhat irritatingly relaxed position of leaning against the doorframe, Tristan nodded toward Rory's desk; where, in plain sight, sat the damn stupid label maker. The damn stupid thing had to have been there since before she had even began to look for it almost a week ago. Rory worked hard to restrain the scream that so wanted to be let into the world right then.  
  
Because of the fact that Tristan was laughing, Rory could assume that some of the scream had escaped by way of her facial expression.  
  
Tristan picked up the damn stupid label maker. Rory moved to take it from him, she had to hold the damn stupid thing, prove it had actually been found. Of course, after proving its existence, she'd probably try to destroy the damn stupid thing for hiding out in the open as it had. So, it was probably a good thing Tristan refused to hand the damn stupid thing over. After all, in the long run Rory would probably regret destroying the damn stupid thing just as soon as it had been found. However in the short run, it'd be a great mental health stabilizer to destroy the damn stupid label maker. Or, she could always wait until after they finished labeling Hell, then destroy it. But Rory had never been one for delayed gratification like that.  
  
Rory became distracted from her thoughts of destruction by Tristan's pushing of buttons on the damn stupid label maker. "What are you typing?"  
  
With Rory's question, Tristan smiled mischievously and attempted to hide the screen of the damn stupid label maker from her view. Naturally, this peaked Rory's curiosity.  
  
A dance of hide and 'show me what you're typing' quickly developed in the room. It involved lots of reaching, and holding out of reach, and even a couple of empty threats. Finally, the sound of Tristan printing his mysterious label ended all forms of dancing.  
  
Before Rory could act, Tristan promptly stuck the label on Rory's forehead.  
  
Rory gave her best you-are-such-a-child look and moved to her mirror to see how Tristan had seen fit to label her.  
  
On the label that adorned Rory's forehead, were the words 'Tristan's Girlfriend?'  
  
Rory smiled and turned away from the mirror to face Tristan. "Only if I get to make a label that says 'Rory's Boyfriend.'  
  
With that said, there was yet another exchange of smiles, which quickly gave was to kissing, which not so quickly lead to Rory's comment of "I'll take that smile and kiss as a yes to the label then." That comment quickly gave way to wrestling for control of the lovely blessed label maker. And as wrestling sometimes leads to, when it occurs to people in Rory and Tristan's situation, there was more kissing.  
  
Rory would later learn that Henry and Lane had both miraculously survived their meal with Mrs. Kim. They were very lucky, Lane wasn't even sent to a Korean bible camp.  
  
Eventually, Hell was labeled and completed. But that wasn't until much, much, MUCH later in the evening, and after a quick run to Deuce's Market for more lovely blessed label maker paper. All their work over the break would prove beneficial to both Rory and Tristan's grades; not to mention their love lives.  
  
  
  
~  
  
  
  
The End  
  
  
  
Well, I hope you enjoyed reading my story as much as I enjoyed writing it. 


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